14/01/2025

Presentation Nerves…

This week we’ve got some advice on controlling presentation nerves rather than allowing them to control you…

“Gavin, I am feeling nervous about my presentation – any tips?”

This is one of the most common questions I get asked.

There are a range of exercises that make a huge difference and I use them every week with clients.

But you need to realise that the nerves never truly go away and that you actually need them to perform.

During my tenure as a Member of the Scottish Parliament I spoke over 1,000 times.

I was pretty nervous the first time.

And I was pretty nervous the last time – less so than the first time – but the anxiety was still there.

So I am convinced you cannot get rid of them.

The key is to control your nerves instead of allowing them to control you.

So how can you do this? 

One of the easiest answers can be found with the legendary martial artist Bruce Lee.

He was one of my childhood idols.

I watched all his films.

I read his book, Tao of Jeet Kune Do, many times.

And I trained in martial arts in an obsessive way.

There is a quote in the book that caught my eye a few decades ago. 

“As an event approaches, the athlete often notices a feeling of weakness in his midsection (butterflies in his stomach), feels nauseated and may vomit; his heart pounds, he may experience pain in his lower back.”

Do you recognise these symptoms?

Bruce Lee was clearly talking about combat sports but I realised when I first read it that this was also relevant for presentations and public speaking.

Immediately after the quote above was the following statement, and it made an enormous impression on me.

“The experienced athlete recognizes these sensations not as an inner weakness, but as an inner surplus.”

That hit me between the eyes.

Inner surplus.

I wondered – what if this applies to a presentation too – my nerves are not an inner weakness but an inner surplus.

I tried to re-frame the situation in this way.

And it made a difference.

Quite quickly.

Not a ground-breaking difference.

But enough that I noticed it and it grew a little each time.

And I have seen this help for countless others over the years.

There are many things you need to focus on to master your nerves – how you prepare, rehearsals and clear feedback, among numerous others.

But this tip can help, with minimal effort.

So, the next time you have those nerves before a presentation, tell yourself it is not an inner weakness but an inner surplus.

It might just make a difference.   

For more tips to help you overcome any presentation nerves – check out the following article…

Don’t Worry About the Small Stuff

 

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