When I ask people what scares them about public speaking, virtually every answer comes down to vulnerability.

What if my mid goes blank? What if I sound stupid? What if I make a mistake and somebody calls me out? What if I accidentally offend someone?

Standing in front of others to speak your truth leaves you vulnerable to judgment, to criticism, to rotten vegetables pelted by an angry mob.

Millions of years of evolution have taught us to survive by seeking safety and avoiding vulnerability. Even in our sheltered modern lives, some ancient part of our brains resists any attempt to do the opposite. In that sense the fear of public speaking is normal, natural, and entirely justified.

But here’s the thing.

As a speaker, you’re not just vulnerable. You’re also powerful. In fact, your vulnerability IS your power.

In fact, the #1 cause of weak public speaking isn't that people don't know "how" to do it or haven't found the right combination of words and gestures. It's actually a vicious cycle made up of self-defeating beliefs and behaviours:

You believe you’re bad at public speaking >> you feel self-conscious >> you try to make yourself invisible by rushing, mumbling, and apologizing >> you catch yourself rushing, mumbling and apologizing >> you conclude that you’re bad at public speaking.

And so on, and so on.

Luckily, there’s a way out of Public Speaking Purgatory.

Admit it - you kind of wish you were a better speaker.

You’ve hear someone who blew you away with their poise and eloquence. You thought, “wow, I wish I could do that.” You dreamed about all the clients you could bring in by speaking to large groups, or the charity you could finally launch if you had the confidence to share your message.

But then you thought, “no. I could never do that. It’s way too scary. Too difficult. People like me don’t do things like that.”

Well, you’re right.