“I’m too shy to speak!” If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard this when chatting with people about speaking…

Here’s the truth. Some of the most impactful speeches have come from people who consider themselves shy or introverted. You don’t need to be an extrovert who loves public speaking to thrive on stage.

You just have to learn a few tricks that will help you calm your nerves and make speaking feel more natural for you. That’s what we’ll get into in this episode.

If you loved this episode and it motivated you to work on more polished presentations, I’d love for you to leave a review on iTunes and tell me about your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @jessicarasdall.

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Falling into the comparison trap

I want to remember this any time you watch a successful speaker doing their thing in person or on social media or in a video: don’t fall into the comparison trap.

Avoid the temptation to compare yourself to others in your industry. I know, I know, it’s easier said than done!

But there’s so much going on behind-the-scenes with every speaker that affects their talk, or their speaking style, or their audience. All of those details could be totally different from you. So why would you want to be just like them? You don’t need to be.

Your audience isn’t necessarily another person’s audience, even if you work in similar industries or serve similar people. You still have your unique thing, your niche. No one can serve them better than you.

Shift your focus

Let’s say you tend to overthink when it comes to public speaking. You worry, “What will my audience think of me? Will they want to listen to what I have to say? Will they like me?!”

All totally normal thoughts, BTW. We all want to do well in front of an audience, and we worry about how others perceive us. These annoying thoughts can get in the way of delivering a talk, though.

When this happens, shift your focus. Instead of, “what will they think of me,” try “what do they need from me?”

This shift takes the spotlight off of you and relieves some of that pressure you’re putting on yourself to be an amazing speaker. Instead, you focus on what your audience needs and how you can deliver.

How will your message impact your audience? Will it help them achieve something they never thought possible? Are you giving them time or confidence or energy back in their life? Will doing all this give you more purpose in your life?

Sometimes a little shift in focus can distract us from those shy worrisome thoughts and remind us why we’re speaking in the first place!

Practice, practice, practice

Consider any hobby or skill you’ve done up until now. Playing an instrument, acting in a play, preparing for a soccer game. I bet you logged tons of hours practicing. Not just to get better, but to make you feel more prepared and relaxed when the big day comes.

You have to do the same for your talks. Practice makes…not perfect, because I’m not about that, but…confidence. Let’s go with confidence.

Most nerves come from feeling unprepared. So, when developing your presentation, edit anything you don’t feel comfortable with. Add or remove details. Change your structure or pacing. Settle on a presentation that feels right to you.

Practice your talk as much as you can. Record yourself delivering your talk and watch it — I promise, this gets easier in time! — and take notes on what you’d like to improve. Give your talk to friends or family members. (That’s what we do during showcase presentations in the Speak to Scale Academy!)

Finally, I recommend creating a presentation prep routine that tells your body it’s time to show up on stage. This can be a quick routine to get your mind and body in speaker mode. Blast your favorite playlist and have a dance party, do a quick yoga sequence, whatever you want to do to show up as your best self.

Calm those pre-talk jitters

Even if you follow my advice so far to a tee, you can’t completely banish your nerves. Being nervous is not a bad thing. It’s okay to be shy and to be nervous before every talk!

In fact, I want you to use those nervous feelings to your advantage. Instead of ignoring them or pretending they’re not there (which can make things worse sometimes), embrace it.

Got sweaty palms, a racing heart, loud and anxious thoughts? Can’t stop pacing or fidgeting? Notice each and every symptom of shyness and nerves going on. Talk a deep breath after you point it out to yourself.

Then, think about your audience. Remember what they need from you. Consider the transformation you’re about to provide, and what your audience will be able to do when your talk is over.

Try a different stage first

Last but not least, why not show up on a different stage first? The first stage you speak on doesn’t have to be at a big conference in front of thousands of people! I don’t know any brand new speaker who would actually want that gig to be their first!

Start small and start where you are. A podcast is a stage, too. So is a livestream. So are Instagram Stories! See where I’m going with this?

Even if you’re not physically on stage in front of people, you still have to hone your speaking skills, practice, and be prepared. These are excellent opportunities to get your feet wet and start working out those speaking muscles. When you’re more confident, you can begin booking those other stages.

Being shy isn’t a bad thing

We’re gonna have a tough love moment here. At the end of the day, the choice is yours. Do you want your shyness to take the lead and keep you from speaking? Or do you want to show up, serve your people, and make a difference?

I promise: the more you show up and speak, the easier it becomes. The nerves don’t ever go away entirely, especially if you’re shy, but you can learn to use them to your advantage. It keeps you in tune with your audience, on your toes, and primed to deliver a kickass presentation every time.

Being brave doesn’t mean not being afraid. It’s being afraid and doing that thing you fear anyway. Be brave when you get up on stage, my friends!

I hope this episode helped you remember that you’re not alone when it comes to being shy, and that you can use that shyness to your advantage! Now, let’s talk about what’s next in your speaking journey. Check out How to Scale Your Business with Speaking, where I talk about how you can use speaking to scale and move forward with your business!