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Hey Iza
Most people think the fear of public speaking means you’re not going to ever command the stage.
Like your brain missed the “public speaking” gene.
But truthfully?
You’re not broken, you’re just human.
I still remember being 13, sitting in an all-boys classroom, nervously reading a passage from the Bible in scripture class. My hands were shaking, my knees were knocking, and I swore the walls were closing in. From that moment on, I decided I was “bad” at speaking in public.
Fast forward to today - I’ve spoken in front of tens of thousands of people, written a book about it, and now teach coaches how to do the same.
And the best part?
I still get butterflies. I’ve just learned how to turn fear into power.
That’s exactly what we’re diving into this week on The Expert Edge.
Listen now: Episode 330 | How to Overcome the Fear of Public Speaking
Watch Episode 330 on YouTube
Whether you’re presenting to 10 people on Zoom or 1,000 in a ballroom, these are the strategies that help you stop shaking and start showing up.
Here are 3 big takeaways from this episode:
1. Focus on service, not self
Fear thrives in self-focus. When you’re worried about how you look or what they’ll think, you’ve already lost connection. Shift your focus outward - on the people who need what you have to say. Visualize your audience’s struggles and imagine helping them. Suddenly, it’s not about your nerves; it’s about their breakthrough. In the podcast, I share a really specific exercise about going deep into the fears and challenges that your audience has. When you do this, you move out of a focus on self and into a focus on service.
2. Presence creates presence
You can’t fake connection. True stage presence starts with actually being present.
Do grounding practices before you speak. One simple exercise is a process that gets you back present, and it only takes 60 seconds or so. You feel your toes, take 3 deep breaths, state five objects around you. Your audience can tell when you’re with them or in your head. Be with them, and they will be with you.
3. Ask better questions
Your brain is like a flashlight - it finds whatever question you point it toward. If you ask, “What if I mess up?” your mind will find 57 ways to prove you right. But if you ask, “How can I help this audience best?” your body instantly relaxes, your tone shifts, and your confidence returns.
Public speaking isn’t about removing fear, it’s about retraining your brain to work with nervous energy to create more power and impact when you speak.
And in this episode, I’ll walk you through exactly how to do that (with some funny stories along the way).
>>> LISTEN ALL PODCAST PLATFORMS: Episode 330 | How to Overcome the Fear of Public Speaking
>>> iTunes ONLY: Episode 330 | How to Overcome the Fear of Public Speaking
To showing up (even when your knees are knocking),
Colin “Still Gets Butterflies” Boyd
P.S. Grab my book One Presentation Away, onepresentationawaybook.com today while it’s discounted (like 50% off on amazon). The reviews and feedback have been amazing. You’ll discover how to become and irresistible speaker to convert more clients!
P.P.S. If you're an established expert doing over $300K and ready to scale to $1M+, Platinum is open for applications. We focus on market leadership, sustainable scaling, and actually enjoying the business you built. Apply at colinboyd.co/platinum. If you're not at $300K yet and want to get there, Elite is your path. Book a short call with me at colinboyd.co/scale and we'll map out exactly where you're at and what your next move is.
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