Not everyone can comfortably speak or perform in front of a lot of people. For some, it can even be a frightening experience which is to be avoided at all costs. Anxiety and paranoia are often experienced by sufferers of performance anxiety, otherwise known as stage fright.
Performance anxiety affects even the most seasoned professional speaker or performer like business speakers and motivational speakers. For some, they are able to stay composed even when the stress of a public speaking performance is getting to them but for most however, the negative thoughts about what might go wrong take over.
The context of the performance will often play a role in the amount of nerves someone experiences. A speaker can feel more or less anxious depending on whether they are on the stage by themselves, the number of people in the audience and if the evaluation is important for career prospects among other factors. Many people find that the larger the audience, the more nervous they are. In a job interview, the applicant is more nervous in front of the manager than the secretary.
Anxiety And Its Manifestations.
1. Commonly, business speakers and other performers will experience a light headed, unsettled sensation in their stomach which occurs before the performance but as they start talking it disappears. This indicates a readiness to perform; and becomes a source of energy that improves the performance.
2. “Reactive anxiety” occurs as a result of insufficient preparation, lack of performance skills or experience on the part of the presenter. Usually best resolved through practice, preparation, and the repeated exposure to the experience of public speaking/performance. This is how business speakers get better.
3. The hallmark of performance anxiety is usually associated with signs of physical and emotional discomfort such as sweating, shaking, voice quivering, rapid heart beating, feelings of fear, and panic. What causes the speaker’s anxiety is the belief that he or she is being negatively evaluated.
Believing that your speech or performance will be a success is a way to alleviate these symptoms. Typically this is done by asking the performer to accept the fear and come up with ways to get round it such as breathing exercises, audience relation and practise. Although some level of anxiety may always remain when you publicly speak, you can learn to enjoy your performance and share your speech with others.