Not everyone can comfortably speak or perform in front of a lot of people. Some will even go out of their way to avoid speaking in public as they are fearful of mistakes. Performance anxiety, also known as a stage fright, is characterized by an intense anxiety and paranoia that occurs before, during, and after a performance.
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.
This debilitating fear may depend on the context of the performance. A presenter’s level of anxiety may vary with respect to the size and status of the audience, the novelty of the situation, whether it is an individual performance, or as part of the group, and on the importance of the evaluation. For a larger audience, the speaker might experience more nerves. In a job interview, the applicant is more nervous in front of the manager than the secretary.
Types Of Anxiety.
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. When the speaker begins to feel calmer, this shows that they are able and willing to perform and the adrenaline may even make them better.
2. “Reactive anxiety” occurs as a result of insufficient preparation, lack of performance skills or experience on the part of the presenter. With more and more events and public speaking this type of anxiety should go away. Business speakers get better in this way.
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. The performer should learn to accept the fear but use breathing exercises and practise to overcome the fearful triggers. 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.
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