| Margaret was petrified of speaking in public. She | | | | chances are that you are speaking about something |
| couldn't even get herself to raise her hand to ask a | | | | that means something to you. |
| question when attending a workshop. It was that | | | | Let yourself focus on the love or appreciation you |
| bad. An elegant English woman with a ton of smarts, | | | | feel for this subject. Let yourself feel that love or |
| she appeared to have it all together, yet this fear of | | | | passion or appreciation. Soak in the energy of that |
| public speaking was tormenting her. | | | | feeling. If the heebie-jeebies start to attack, |
| To make matters worse, she was the director of a | | | | remember what you love and bring yourself back |
| non-profit organization that worked to save | | | | into that energy. |
| elephants in Africa from being poached, and she | | | | 2. Focus on Your Purpose, Not Yourself |
| needed to give presentations to attract possible | | | | So much of our fear of speaking in public centers |
| donors. Her ability to speak in public was crucial to | | | | around whether we will be liked, whether we will win |
| the survival of her organization. And the survival of | | | | the approval and respect of our audience, whether |
| the elephants. | | | | we will get through it without messing up. It's this |
| Today, Margaret speaks with incredible ease and joy | | | | fearful focus on "me, me, me" that drives us nuts! |
| when she gives her presentation on the elephants of | | | | Get your focus off of you and onto your purpose |
| Africa. Oh, sure, she gets a little nervous and jittery | | | | for speaking in the first place. Is your purpose to |
| before she goes on, but her paralyzing terror is gone. | | | | impress people or to give them information that is |
| How did she do it? I'll tell you. | | | | valuable? Is your purpose to get through unscathed |
| Instead of focusing on her terror, Margaret focuses | | | | or is it to express something that has meaning to |
| on her intense love for these elephants. She puts all | | | | you? Try taking yourself out of the equation and put |
| her concern about whether she'll do a good job on | | | | your purpose forefront in your mind and heart. |
| the backburner and allows herself to feel her love | | | | 3. Find Something To Care About |
| and devotion, her purpose in speaking in the first | | | | If you are in the unfortunate position where you |
| place. By doing this, she moves out of her fear and | | | | need to speak about something you could care less |
| into her passion. | | | | about, find something, anything, to appreciate about |
| What Can We Learn From Margaret? | | | | either your subject or the occasion. Find one thing |
| 1. Fall in Love with Your Message | | | | (there's got to be at least one!) that you enjoy or |
| If you are feeling nervous and scared about speaking | | | | appreciate and let yourself bask in that feeling of |
| in public, can you fall in love with your message? This | | | | appreciation. I know, it's a stretch, but if you can |
| may prove challenging if you're giving a business | | | | tune into what you love, you may find that giving |
| presentation for work or you've been asked to | | | | your presentation will be so much more enjoyable for |
| speak on something you could care less about. But | | | | you AND your audience. |
