Brace the fear of speaking

Hi There!

This post of mine is not to challenge anyone's public speaking skills, to give out debate, or how fluent you're in presenting stuff. Rather my post would roam on the periphery of speaking skills where N people become 2N eyes.

With swiftly passed by school education, only very few of the students could participate in debates, speeches in whatsoever event. With a handful of who stepped forward, are the only few regularly participating in extempore, inter school debate competition.  For this to blame are our orthodox approach in education, at homes, societies, and much of the blame goes to friend circles, as to what they would think, and leg pulling once you've erred. This fear of making mistakes pulls students so hard back to the ground that very few even attempt to get their names in any of school events, like anchoring on 15th of August, or annual function, or during sports week, and events alike.

With the phobia sinking in and no one at school or home helping to grapple this, students fail to understand that they too should participate. For the fear of embarrassment, and being an object of mockery, students tend to drift away from one of the key skill - public speaking, or communication skills. With summer classes of personality development gone into sitting at the back of room, dodging off chance to introduce yourself. 

Not until during any group discussion (GD) in campus placement, MBA or job interview(s) when baton to speak is passed on, you don't realize how profoundly you lack this prowess. You feel a knot twisting in your stomach, sweating forehead, shaking hands, and Ahms, Ahs. Ahem. Very few by that time register how it would affect your growth, your ability to display your efforts put in words, articulate your thoughts in any organization. It is easier said than done, speaking ability is one of those falling right into this category.  Like many other sought out or desired skills, this too will demand time from you, you ought to invest time in it if you're to make the best and most out of it, and leverage it for your personal growth.

There are various platforms, practices with which you can enhance speaking skills. One of which is Toastmasters (TM) club. TM is an excellent opportunity to learn on how to speak, how to organize your thoughts, and how to overcome fear of speaking. At TM you'd know that you're not alone in this group of faltering speakers. Everyone struggles with it, and over the time equips her/him-self to speak with confidence.  There are couple of clubs of TM in every city. I'm not here to advertise on TM, or to gain anything should you join TM; rather I'm to encourage and let you know that such things, and people with similar fear exist, and are working constantly to unleash their power speak, all being done while bracing the fear.

Apart from TM, you can select topics from internet, time yourself, record, and practise again and again. Timing yourself, and listening what you've said will to help on you and at what point you lose confidence. Another way is to have a small paper, and write down points on which you'll speak. This helps you organize your thoughts, not digress from topic, and get a hold of yourself should you miss any important thing to mention.

Should you wish something, you must work for it.

Good luck!