It’s been said that facing a public speaking engagement is a fate worse than death. Whoever made that statement was battling a major case of public speaking stage fright! Experiencing stage fright and shaky confidence prior to a presentation is surprisingly common, even among veteran speakers like TED Talk presenters.
Why are we so unnerved by the act of standing up and communicating before a group of people? Apparently, it’s because we’re human. According to scientific research, the human brain is hard-wired to react with anxiety (known as the “fight or flight” response) to any situation where we feel outside our comfort zone.
Public Speaking Stage Fright
Understanding the science behind stage fright can be instrumental in helping to manage it. Watch this 4 minute video produced by TED-Ed to support speakers as they prepare for their prime time event. If confidence issues are undermining your presentation performance, check out the first of our Summer Reading Series book reviews: “The Confidence Gap.”