The rush of anxiety while stepping towards the podium, VIENNA TAN discovers why stage fright is a fear we all have in common.
“The moment I’m about to give a speech, I feel the crippling, anxious feeling and my palms become really clammy. I feel I am going to make a fool of myself,” says Ridwan Hakim, a molecular biology student at Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP).
While explaining how he feels when he is on stage, Hakim’s gaze was shifty as he slouched lower into his seat.
People associate public speaking as a fear that stems from negative thoughts and simply blame it on the overthinking mindset before going on stage. According to a study by TED-Ed animations, public speaking triggers the innate fight-or-flight response; that occurs when an individual is in the presence of something that scares them. This means that every one of us, despite how capable one is in public speaking, will feel the stress of being in the limelight.
“It is the fear of judgment. When you put yourself out there, you're mostly worried about what people would think about you. I want to be perfect on stage,” says Stephanie Lim, a mass communication student at NP. Previously, she suffered from performance anxiety during presentations, but has been trying to overcome it. She says her change in mindset is “the more you do it, the more confident you become.”
On the contrary, Hakim is not so willing to putting himself out there just to get used to the feeling of speaking on stage. “Cowardly as it sounds, I’d rather just stick to being behind the curtains and not have people stare me down. It doesn’t really resolve my fear, but at least I avoid it.” Hakim says.
“I think generally, Singaporeans have more of an issue of public speaking,” said Mr Neil Humphreys, broadcaster, public speaker and Interdisciplinary Studies lecturer at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
He finds that the environment where Singaporean children are being brought up discourages children to speak out. Mr Humphrey says “I think it starts with the ‘I talk, you listen’ mentality. We're constantly told to not talk and Singapore, not question and not challenge.”
However, in his twenty years of teaching experience, he sees a change in students becoming more vocal in lesson and speaking up in class.
“There should be a freedom for students to question, to challenge, to query and to disagree” says Mr Humphreys.
The experience of public speaking is real intimidating. These few tips may help with easing the gripping fear of public speaking.
Firstly, speak and practice your speech. Familiarise yourself with the pointers that you have to make. Present the speech to yourself or to people you trust. “If you cannot do it in front of your siblings or parents, how the hell are you going to do it in front of strangers,” says Mr Humphreys. Knowing the speech by heart will enable you to feel more secure and confident in what you are about to present.
Secondly, you have to know the audience. By doing an audience analysis, you will be able to understand what are some things you can or cannot say on stage. Mr Humphrey recommends analysing the audience by their age, gender, race, religion and nationality. Being a good public speaker not only delivers good content, but ensures that the content is relatable to the listeners.
Thirdly, learn to go with the flow. Try not to control everything about your presentation. Accept that you may make mistakes. “Don't go in assuming you cannot make a single mistake. You are creating ridiculous levels of pressure for yourself.” says Mr Humphreys. You should focus on adapting to the on-stage environment so that you feel comfortable while presenting.
Lastly, remember that if you do make a mistake, roll with it. Acknowledge that mistake because when a speaker does that, the audience empathises with him. “The audience isn't setting you up to fail. You're setting yourself up to fail,” Mr Humphreys said. Do not let your mistake hinder your confidence. “No one is perfect. In the end of the day, it is just a f***ing speech!” said Mr Humphreys.
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