How to boost your self-confidence in public speaking? – 10 Best Tips to become fearless

As a social person, if you want to boost your self-confidence in public speaking, you need to know how to become self-confident? And how to overcome lack of confidence in public speaking? How to gain confidence in speaking English? No profession in this world exists that does not require public speaking skills. You need to learn why you should have self-confidence and why you need to know the importance of confidence in public speaking?  

American professional tennis player Sloane Stephens said, “You can do all aught when you have self-confidence.”  

Learning to boost your self-confidence in public speaking is compulsory as it helps you focus on your audience. When you are confident while giving a public speech, you need to understand who you are talking to.

Public speaking requires self-assurance, self-confidence, and creativity to handle the audience’s reactions.  

The American Naval officer and film director John Martin Feeney, also known as John Ford, said: “If your tongue is able to deliver the message of your heart, it means you can speak well.”  

You can only deliver your feelings and perspective to the audience when you are clear with your thoughts and words. To boost your self-confidence in public speaking, first, learn the importance of self-confidence and then implement the tips to give a more engaging and persuasive presentation of your speech.  

What is the importance of self-confidence in public speaking?

Self-confidence and boldness in expressing your thoughts are essential in public speaking. A person needs confidence, self-assurance, and credence to leave an impactful image and impression to the audience. Your audience will never feel connected and related to you until you make yourself comfortable and relaxed. Knowing your capabilities and skills is necessary because you need to show your audience that you can change their opinions and mindsets.   

Dionysius of Halicarnassus, a famous Greek historian, and teacher of Rhetoric, said, “The best is letting your speech better than silence, or remain silent.”  

You need to become intrepid and boost your self-confidence in public speaking because it will help you in your academic, professional, and personal life. Remember that you need to have confidence but never be overconfident and make sure not to display an unnecessary attitude to your audience.  

According to Oprah Gail Winfrey, who is an American actress, talk show host, author and producer said: “Our minds, souls, bodies, and spirits look for new adventures with the help of self-confidence.”  

You can only make public speaking impressive and persuasive if you know how to boost your self-confidence in public speaking. And the role of confidence in public speaking is much important than any other thing.  

Tips to boost your self-confidence in public speaking

Everyone wants to be a not shy and awkward person while speaking in public. To become a confident and bold person, you need to build your speaking skills.  

The best tips to become fearless, valorous, and boost your self-confidence in public speaking are as follows.  

1. Rehearse speaking in the mirror

To boost your self-confidence in public speaking, you should practice rehearsal at least one time before a mirror. It is important to know where you should have a variety in your vocal or which body language is needed. Practice will make you memorize your speech, and you will remember your speech’s highlighted parts and contents.  

It is a wise and good idea to practice your speech in front of a mirror and imagine your audience before you. A mirror will help you know how you look while presenting a speech.  

An English actor, and narrator, Donald Pleasence, said: “In the time of rehearsal, all the real and actual work is done.”  

You can also record your speech and hear it. Recordings will give you an idea of how your voice sounds and how it will sound to your audience. You can also make a videotape of yourself while rehearsing your speech, and you can present your speech before your family.  

2. Maintain eye contact with the audience

Public speaking requires a lot of facial expressions and gestures like eye contact or a raise in eyebrows. Eye Contact is considered a critical action required to boost your self-confidence in public speaking. If you want to slay your public speaking and look natural, you should try to maintain perfect eye contact with your audience and avoid a scary gaze or a stare.  

“According to research and study, it takes less or no more than only five seconds to maintain a meaningful and genuine eye contact with someone.”  

When you make eye contact with someone in the audience, you make connections with them. They will listen to you more actively and attentively. Proper eye contact will automatically help you raise, simulate and boost your self-confidence in public speaking.  

3. Show assertive body language

Assertive body language means a good posture that highlights any individual’s feelings, honesty, and expressiveness. You can boost your self-confidence in public speaking by excluding all types of non-assertive postures and gestures from your life. The non-assertive body language included slouching, standing off balance, hunching shoulders, or shuffling your head. This is a sign of low self-assurance, low self-esteem, and low self-confidence.  

Research by John Borg explains that only 7% of human communication consists of words, while 93% of communication is composed of paralinguistic cues and body language. And 60% -70% of communication is acquired from the non-verbal behaviors of humans.  

To look confident, you should stand with a good body posture and relax your shoulders to appear all-natural. Showing optimistic and bold body language will help boost your self-confidence in public speaking.  

4. Make your voice sound confident 

Your voice says so much about what as a person you are. To look daring, valiant and boost your self-confidence in public speaking, you should make your voice sound fearless.   

Dayananda Saraswati, an Indian social leader and the originator of the Arya Samaj, said: “The most impressive melodic instrument given to humans is their voice.”  

A courageous voice with plucky facial expressions improves communication skills in public.  

A perfect voice pitch can change so much, proved by research in 2017. A study by Yale confirmed that, what makes a person believe you, trust you, and rely on you is the sound of your voice.  

Speaking quickly or very smoothly can change the perspective of your audience. You should use a perfect volume according to your audience, and you need to convince the audience of whatever you are telling them.  

5. Use humor to a limit

People who have lack self-confidence in public speaking should follow these tips to improve their self-esteem. The best way to boost your self-confidence in public speaking is a proper and limited use of humor to hook up your audience with you. In our daily life, humor plays an integral part in our interactions. Using good humor on stage will help you create a special bond with your audience and a feeling of closeness.  

The best humorist in the United States and the creative writer, Samuel Langhorne Clemens, also known as Mark Twain, said: “The greatest benefit and blessing to mankind is Humor.”   

You can use your humor in a well-mannered way. Never hurt any person in the name of silly humor, and try to be creative with your jokes. If you want to make two people close and remove the awkwardness and distance between them, humor and laughter are the smartest ideas.  

6. Do not stop if you make a mistake

It is possible and normal for any person to make a mistake while giving a speech on stage but to overcome the embarrassment, it is better not to stop there but carry on giving your speech. Everyone has made mistakes, but it is not a good thing to have regret and guilt in your heart.  

To boost your self-confidence in public speaking, you should never feel bad if you make a slight error or mistake while giving a speech.  

According to a famous American author and cosmetic surgeon, Maxwell Maltz: “You may have made mistakes, but the thing is you are not made by mistake or mistakes never build you.”  

It doesn’t matter if you have made a big mistake or a smaller one; the best thing to do is move on from it and continue slaying your presentation.  

7. Follow a simple and persuasive way

You can boost your self-confidence in public speaking by following a simple and persuasive way and making your aim to persuade the audience. The best presentation needs effective and persuasive skills to approach people’s minds listening to you. It is a good idea to be more relevant to your topic, and your audience should relate to your words. In this way, you can make yourself confident and bold instead of getting shy and confused in public speaking.  

Mark Twain said: “There is not even a single thing in the world which can stupefy the mental system and upsets the opinions and destroy the feelings of an audience who does not knows tricks and misinterpretations of oratory, but the is persuasive speech which can do all.”  

When you start with a persuasive strategy and your audience agrees with your statements, it unintentionally boosts your self-confidence in public speaking.

8. Show gestures to prove statements

You can boost your self-confidence in public speaking and during a speech by showing gestures to prove statements. Body language is a great factor that helps you boost your self-credence and improve your self-esteem in public. Hand gestures help give a speech as the public will look up to your hands.  

A survey of TED Talks said that viral speakers use an average estimation of around 500 hand signs and gestures, and it is twice in count as the least popular public speakers used.  

Another analysis explained that people who generally talk with their hands and show gestures are seen as gentle, warm, enthusiastic, and agreeable. In contrast, people who don’t use their hands are considered cold, logical, rational, and analytical. Using a generous amount of hand gestures improves your positiveness and confidence.  

9. Know the mindset of your audience

Before a public speaking speech, the fundamental step is to know who your audience is and what their thoughts and opinions are? The skilled and effective public speakers know how their audience will react to their speech and message. You need to know your audience and be close to their thoughts because only in this case you will know their mindsets. To boost your self-confidence in public speaking and reach the audience’s mindset, you need to analyze the thoughts and mindset of your audience.  

According to Alexi Weaver: “Change begins from the mind, and if you want to modify and alter your life, you should start from changing and improving your mindset.”

If you have the skill to change and improve the mindset of your audience in public speaking, then you are considered a good speaker.  

10. Use your anecdotes and stories

When you conclude your anecdotes in public speaking, it talks so much about you as a speaker and your ability to engage people. It is good to use an interesting, humorous anecdote related to your speech topic.  

If you want to boost your self-confidence in public speaking and want your audience to recognize you as the best and expert in your field, then retelling any amazing experience of your life or something that happened with your friends and family is the best idea.  

An American humorist and journalist, Robert Quillen, said, “Our bodies are getting shorter as we are growing old, but our anecdotes are becoming longer.”  

Sharing a personal experience with your audience will make them relate to your feelings a lot and feel a connection with you. Also, try to attend events and different public speaking platforms to improve your confidence.  

FAQ’S

I am sharing some frequently asked questions and their answers to become fearless and boost your self-confidence in public speaking.  

Q: How to develop self-confidence in public speaking?  

You can develop self-confidence while speaking by making eye contact with your audience. You can also add a bit of good humor to make people feel close to you. You will only gain confidence if you see your audience cheering for you.  

Q: How can I improve my public speaking skills?  

You can improve your public speaking by becoming fearless, courageous, confident, bold, and stronger. You should make yourself valorous while talking in public and believe that you are the only person who knows everything. Be a dynamic, heroic, and spirited person to improve speaking skills.  

Q: Why is it important to speak without being shy or awkward?  

It is very important and necessary to speak without getting awkward, embarrassed, or shy. If you cannot overcome your shyness before the public, then you are professionally not a skilled person. It is significant to overcome all the shyness to speak confidently and boldly. The best tip to boost your self-confidence in public speaking is to overcome shyness and awkwardness.  

Q: Why do I lack confidence while speaking?  

You lack confidence while speaking because you are not confident in your thoughts and words. You think people will laugh at me, or maybe whatever I am talking about is not right. You may lack confidence while speaking due to excessive shyness and social anxiety in you.  

Q: How do I rebuild my confidence and self-esteem?  

The best tip to rebuild your confidence and self-esteem is to love yourself and admire your thoughts. Humans need to know the worth of their souls and self. Try rebuilding positive thoughts about yourself in your mind and then see the change it makes in your self-esteem. You can boost your self-confidence in public speaking by following my tips.

Q: What are 5 ways to improve self-esteem?  

Stop judging and criticizing yourself and start taking credit for your achievement. Never blame yourself for what you have not done, and believe in yourself and your skills. Be responsible, confident, and think positively about your constructive skills. Believe it if someone gives a compliment and creates your identity by improving your self-esteem. These are some basic ways to improve your self-esteem, minimize low self-esteem behaviors and boost your self-confidence in public speaking.  

Last Words:

Life is full of experiences and anecdotes, but the important thing here is how you survive it and how you go through your difficult times and how you can boost your self-confidence in public speaking and improve low self-esteem.  I hope you enjoy my article and follow the advice I’ve outlined on how you can boost your self-confidence in public speaking and give an effective speech with confidence.