Worst. Speaking Advice. EVER.
Please...Don't picture the audience in their underwear.
I’m not sure where that advice initially came from, but I guarantee you there are more effective (and less creepy) ways to calm your public speaking nerves.
How do I know? I’m an actor.
Hi, I’m Sara Glancy, founder of Speak Masterfully. I received a BFA from NYU Tisch School for the Arts in Making a Fool of Myself in Public. (Okay, it was in Drama, but those are basically the same thing.)
And here’s something that might surprise you:
Even after 5 years touring and performing Off-Broadway, I STILL get nervous before stepping onstage.
Yep. Like clockwork, the curtain rises, the heart-rate quickens, and the butterflies flap.
In fact, most actors get pre-show jitters. You learn to get comfy with those nerves and let it fuel rather than derail your performance.
But here’s something that surprised ME:
The first time I stepped onstage as an entrepreneur was 100x scarier.
I expected butterflies in the stomach—what I got was pterodactyls.
Stepping on stage as a character is relatively easy. Stepping on stage as your authentic self is incredibly vulnerable.
Fortunately, I had a toolbox of acting techniques I’d collected over the years that allowed me to tame the pterodactyls and take the stage with confidence.
And I've consolidated 5 of my favorite strategies for calming my nerves pre-speaking engagement into this handy-dandy guide...
You can grab your free copy at this link!
(SPOILER ALERT: Tip #4 involves Beyoncé. I won't tell you how though, because I believe in creating dramatic tension....)
I'll be breaking down each of these Speak Masterfully tips in the coming weeks, so make sure to stay tuned!
Best,
Sara
Sara Glancy is an NYC-based actor and public speaking coach and the founder of Speak Masterfully, a service that helps professionals take the stage with less fear and more fun!
Want to nail your next presentation?!
Apply this basic outline to any speaking engagement to feel twice as prepared in half the time!
