stage fright

[writer4him]

I have realy bad stage fright, and im trying to figure out how to get over it. I have ideas for a short sermon for fine arts (a huge christian competition) but because of my stage fright i don't know if i'll be able to do it. I'd like to try, but don't want to end up fanting, running out of the room, etc. I can't even do th quick message, and prayer for offering at youth. How do i get over this? if you don't have any ideas at least pray for me to figure this out, i really feel called to do the short sermon.

 

[Johnnz]

Stage fright is quite common. Insecurity can give ita big rev up.

Try to work through it. Short public prayers in a small group will get you used to hearing your own voice in public. Deliberatly try to make comments in a group bible study. These can be good starters.

I struggled for quite a while with public speaking, and I can identify with how you feel. Me too! But, I was determined to learn. It took quite a long time before I had real confidence - poor peoplewho faithfully endured me. But I gradually found my body did not let me down. Then I could develop skills and give better talks, which in turn gave me greater confidence.

Today I am recognised as a competent public speaker, and it is something I enjoy very much. There is some with knuckle stuff involved, but the growth in self confidence made it all worthwhile.

John
NZ

 

[The-Doctor]

I am a teacher and have to lecture in Law to adults. I found a few things that might help you overcome your stage fright.

Practice your speech, try in front of people you know and trust...like your family it gives you experiance of speaking infront of people. It also helps to ensure you both know your speech well... and can be more natural in delivery rather than just reading it out and you can ensure that your timing for the speech is spot on by adjusting if you are taking to long by taking out the irrelevant bits and putting more in if you have too much time.

Something to calm your nerves I learned in training for my job.

ITRO

I) Some interesting fact about your subject ie ..DID you know....or a quote that is relevant...to draw your audience into what you are talking about.

T) Time....this talk/lesson etc will take about....(how long it will last...people like to know this) Also tell them the title of your lesson/speech at this point.

R) relevance to them "Okay so...such and such does this but I'm doing it today as they are away..." or " This is talk is about....." summarise what its about. Also include what it is not about Ie "I'm going to cover ......but I not......." and whether they can ask questions throughout or should save them to the end....people like to know this too...if you prefer them at the end then say so to avoid interuptions.

O) Objectives...if there are any...."i'm going to cover specifically......"

Basically tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them then tell them what you have told them to reinforce key messages. People basically tend to remember what you say first and what you say last so try to get you key points in there. By the time you have gone through this you are two minutes into your talk and hopefully a bit calmer.

Another idea is to have a lesson plan. Write out what you are going to talk about in what order and at what point in the talk time wise so for example


0 to 2 mins.......Introduction...ITRO....(make a note of what you opener is here)

2 mins to 15 mins.....talk about ..........

15 to 20 mins....show chart 1 on board and talk through main points etc

20 to 25 mins....summarise main points

25 to 30 mins...any questions

30 mins...end.

Hope this helps

 

[Hackett]

I have realy bad stage fright, and im trying to figure out how to get over it. I have ideas for a short sermon for fine arts (a huge christian competition) but because of my stage fright i don't know if i'll be able to do it. I'd like to try, but don't want to end up fanting, running out of the room, etc. I can't even do th quick message, and prayer for offering at youth. How do i get over this? if you don't have any ideas at least pray for me to figure this out, i really feel called to do the short sermon.

I know what you mean. As a software trainer delivering instruction to large and small groups I needed to get over that same issue. I found that the first challenge was to know the material like the back of your hand. Next practice..practice... Pray for God's peace to overshadow you and allow you to speak clearly and to take control of the presentation.

Scriptures: 1 Tim 1:7 For God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of self control.

Phil 4 : 13 I can do ALL things thru Christ who strengthens me

Psalms 71: In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion. KJV

I will be praying for you.

 

[Hackett]

I am a teacher and have to lecture in Law to adults. I found a few things that might help you overcome your stage fright.

Practice your speech, try in front of people you know and trust...like your family it gives you experiance of speaking infront of people. It also helps to ensure you both know your speech well... and can be more natural in delivery rather than just reading it out and you can ensure that your timing for the speech is spot on by adjusting if you are taking to long by taking out the irrelevant bits and putting more in if you have too much time.

Something to calm your nerves I learned in training for my job.

ITRO

I) Some interesting fact about your subject ie ..DID you know....or a quote that is relevant...to draw your audience into what you are talking about.

T) Time....this talk/lesson etc will take about....(how long it will last...people like to know this) Also tell them the title of your lesson/speech at this point.

R) relevance to them "Okay so...such and such does this but I'm doing it today as they are away..." or " This is talk is about....." summarise what its about. Also include what it is not about Ie "I'm going to cover ......but I not......." and whether they can ask questions throughout or should save them to the end....people like to know this too...if you prefer them at the end then say so to avoid interuptions.

O) Objectives...if there are any...."i'm going to cover specifically......"

Basically tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them then tell them what you have told them to reinforce key messages. People basically tend to remember what you say first and what you say last so try to get you key points in there. By the time you have gone through this you are two minutes into your talk and hopefully a bit calmer.

Another idea is to have a lesson plan. Write out what you are going to talk about in what order and at what point in the talk time wise so for example


0 to 2 mins.......Introduction...ITRO....(make a note of what you opener is here)

2 mins to 15 mins.....talk about ..........

15 to 20 mins....show chart 1 on board and talk through main points etc

20 to 25 mins....summarise main points

25 to 30 mins...any questions

30 mins...end.

Hope this helps

Very good advice!

 

[Anti Existance]

Its actually very easy , just say to yourself 'they have more reason to be afraid of me, then i of them' then you step on the stage perform your act and your done with.

 

[mikeforjesus]

I think praying for a long time before the sermon? should help... and memorising the sermon itself and practicing it with family and friends should help... also maybe getting you'se to humiliating yourself in public, e.g lay on a bench where everyone can see you?

 

[SallyNow]

Hmm, well, I've heard of two main types of stage fright:

If it's being yourself in front of a bunch of people that scares you, then just rehearse your speech like it's a play, and think that you're playing a part: one of a confident speech giver. It really works! Eventually, you'll probably be able to become that confident speech giver.

Practice, but don't over-practice. If you have the speech memorized in general, then you can say it smoothly. If you really over-practice, you can end up not able to think on your feet, and getting flustered.

If it's being in front of a group, period, that scares you, learn your general speech or what you want to say and have a few sample answers ready, if needed. Then, start with a close friend or relative to help talk through it all.

Think of it as a conversation, like explaining a great book to a friend or telling your parents about a great movie you watched.

Another thing is: if you do mess up a little, just keep going. Everyone messes up, and everyone will understand if you do too. Just keep going. It sounds tough, but it isn't. Once you realize that everyone in the audience sometimes muddles what they're saying, you'll realize that its fine to muddle, as long as you just keep going.

I hope I've helped at least a little bit. Everyone is different, and the same suggestions don't always work, but you'll find what will work for you.

 

[Raistlinorr]

When I was younger and in sales I was taught a trick that helped me get past a fear simular to this. I had a hard time just coming to ppl I did not know and trying to sell them stuff even though I knew the stuff was good and did it's job.

They told us to spend a few hours practicing what we were going to say in front of a mirror. This is actually kind of hard to do first your talking to your self out loud and then your seeing all the things you might do and want to correct. You might make a movement or face that will get a reaction from ppl and not realize it. This in turn will make you even more nervous than before. By watching yourself and hearing your own voice enough you can work through this. Because your going to judge yourself harder than any one else. Then you move on to those you trust family and friends after that it's simply going to the ppl.
But you will have greater confidence that your not going to make a mistake because you have seen how your going to look and sound and you have been in front of smaal crowds.

Hope this helps some.
God Bless
Raist

 

[Nathan55]

I would ask for strength through prayer. And remember what you are doing is the right thing. Teaching others about the Glory of God is great.

 

[Im-revived]

Take note on what Nathans said:-

My first experience was because I'm a solo vocalist/guitarist, and even then I wasn't a Christian, suffered stage fright etc. From there it moved to worship leading, reading the bible, or a mini testimony, every time I do something yes my stomach squirms and I'm nervous, so wether Christian or not I pray. Now what happens is I may go on stage nervous but I remember Im not on my own I have Jesus with me from the first line of a song or reading or anything. Jesus takes the fear away. Imagine no-ones out there just you and Jesus to begin with and you'll find you'll be calmed.

Im-revived

I would ask for strength through prayer. And remember what you are doing is the right thing. Teaching others about the Glory of God is great.

 

[UnitynLove]

"Do It Afraid!"






Fear! Has it ever been a problem for you...holding you back from moving into areas that could enrich your own life and the lives of others? There is a solution.

One of the many benefits available to Christians is freedom from fear. When we avoid making changes or confronting issues in our lives because of fear or dread, we need to remember that God has promised to go before us and bring us through victoriously as we obey Him.

When we are facing a job interview, for example, instead of being afraid that we will make a bad impression and fail to get the position, we need to ask God to prepare the heart and mind of the interviewer and help us to present ourselves in the very best light. When God "prepares the way," we can trust that whatever happens will turn out for our good according to His perfect plan for us.

The Bible tells of a man named Abram who trusted God in spite of his own personal fear. Now... the Lord said to Abram, Go for yourself [for your own advantage] away from your country, from your relatives and your father's house, to the land that I will show you (Genesis 12:1).

How would you feel if God told you to leave your home, your family, and everything that is familiar and comfortable and head out to an unknown destination? Full of fear? That is precisely the challenge Abram faced—and it frightened him. But God's words to him were "Fear not." It is the same message He gave to Joshua when He called him to lead the children of Israel to take the land He had promised to give them as their inheritance (see Joshua 1:6-9). And to all who set out to follow God's plan today, He says, "Fear not."

Elisabeth Elliot, whose husband was killed along with four other missionaries in Ecuador, tells that her life was completely controlled by fear. Every time she started to step out to minister, fear stopped her. Then a friend told her something that set her free. Her friend said, "Why don't you do it afraid?" Elisabeth listened and took that advice. Together with Rachel Saint, the sister of one of the murdered missionaries, they went on to evangelize the Indian tribes of Ecuador, including the very people who had killed their loved ones.

Many times we think we should wait to do something until we are no longer afraid. But if we did that, we would probably accomplish very little for God, for others, or even for ourselves. Both Abram and Joshua had to step out in faith and obedience to God and do what He had commanded them to do—even though they were afraid.

I believe the words fear not simply mean "don't run." So the solution to fear is simple—rather than bowing our knee and giving in to it, we must stand firm against it, knowing that God has gone before us and prepared the way.

That is precisely what God wants us to do. Even if our mouth is dry and our knees are shaking, we need to keep asking God to strengthen us. We need to determine that our lives are not going to be ruled by fear but by the Word of God.

As we saw before in Genesis, God gave Abram a tall order. He said, "Pack up and leave everyone you know and everything you are comfortable with and go to a place I will show you." If Abram had bowed his knee to fear, he never would have fulfilled his destiny to become all God created him to be—the father of many nations.

In the same way, if Joshua had not overcome his fear and been obedient to God's command to lead His people into the Promised Land, they never would have enjoyed all that God had prepared for them. Giving in to fear alters God's best plan for your life. So use the power of God's Word to do what He wants you to do...even if you have to do it afraid! The rewards are great.

Here is her link to other problems in life: http://www.joycemeyer.org/cgi-bin/hfth.plx?page=hfth&subpage=hfth&page_ref=Nav&section_id=NA

 

[writer4him]

Thank you all so much I'm determined to do the Short Sermon now, and it's thanks to all of you, and although ITRO is a little too long for a 5 min. max sermon i printed it off. Thank you all, and God bless.

 

[Godislove94]

Hi! I struggle with the same thing as you do because I'm a musician. One thing that helps me keep things from getting too crazy is 2 Corinthians 10:5. Performance anxiety is all in your mind because of your self image. For me, I still struggle with basing my worth on how well people approve of my playing. So every time you have a negative thought about what might happen during your presentation, stop and think about that verse and TAKE EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST. Also remember that YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH HIM.

Aside from prayer and scripture meditation, a nurse told me one thing that helps the physical aspect of performance anxiety (shakiness, clamminess, etc.). One or two days before you perform, drink a 32 ounce bottle of Gatorade or PowerAde over the course of the day and when you finish it or during the night, drink two 32-64 ounce bottles of water. This will help keep you hydrated and avoid dry mouth and clamminess. The magnesium in the electrolytes in the sports drink also helps relax your muscles so you don't shake as much. Also, try to cut out as much caffeine, sugar, salty foods, or fried foods and eat complex carbs, fruits, and lean protein. Eat a large breakfast, a smaller lunch, and a small dinner so that way your body gets the energy that it needs during the day so you can focus. Also, one or two bananas works too because the potassium in them acts as a beta blocker. Good luck and may God be with you in your presentation.

 

[parsley]

The thread is really old, but it caught my eye.
Yesterday I got stage fright just listening to someone interviewed at an awards ceremony -- he was asked how he would do when performing at a stadium. Imagine loving your craft, finding success, and then realizing that the peak of success included leading a crowd of thousands, basically by yourself.