Most people have some degree of discomfort or fear associated with public speaking. Even experienced public speakers feel an adrenaline surge at the beginning of a speech. For some, however, public speaking can create a paralyzing fear that makes public speaking difficult. By understanding this fear and how it can be used, your public speaking skills will improve.

Embrace the Fear
The fear that pumps adrenaline through the veins at the beginning of a speech is natural and normal. This fear can enhance a speech because if it is used properly it can help a speaker perform better. When adrenaline is pumping, speaking can be more effective. If a speaker is too comfortable on stage, the effectiveness of a speech may be diminished.

Experienced speakers strive to keep an edge of adrenaline pumping to keep them on their toes and speaking energetically to an audience. Use fear to energize your speaking and give it color and interest. If you expect fear and embrace it you can learn to use it.

Analyze the Fear
If your fear feels overwhelming and too big to be embraced, take some time to analyze it.

Sit quietly and contemplate your fears. Make a detailed list of everything you fear in connection with public speaking. Things you might include on your list may be misspeaking or mispronouncing words, stumbling as you walk to the podium, spilling water on yourself if you take a drink while speaking, losing your place in your notes, or mixing up your note cards. Try to think of everything and write down everything that worries you.

After you have made your list, come up with a solution for every fear and write these solutions next to the fears. For example, if you are afraid of spilling water by drinking from a glass, ask for a straw in your glass. If you are afraid of mixing up your note cards, number them clearly so they can easily be kept in order.

Learn the Unknown
Often it is fear of the unknown that paralyzes speakers. If there are aspects about your public speaking engagement that you don't know, try to learn about them. For example, if not knowing what the room in which you will be speaking looks like bothers you, visit it so you will know. If you don't know who your audience will be like, research what kind of people will be making up the audience (ages, professions, interests, and so on). If you don't know the schedule of the events and your place in the schedule, find out so you can be prepared.

Practice
The old saying "practice makes perfect" has merit. With practice comes confidence. A speech should be practiced to the point where it is almost memorized. When this is done, the fear and adrenaline rush that you will experience at the beginning of the speech will not distract you from delivering the content of your speech because you know your speech so solidly.

Connect with the Audience
Force yourself to look at the audience and make eye contact. If the audience is especially large, choose a few friendly faces around the room and rotate your eye contact among these people. Never glue your eyes to your notes and read your speech to the audience. In order for audience members to receive your message and get the most out of your speech, they need to feel like you are talking directly to them. You accomplish this by making regular eye contact.