Presentation anxiety? Here's how to become a star at presenting

Edwin Selij
July 18, 2022

In meetings you know what you want to say and at parties you are the pacesetter. Yet when you suddenly have to present something in front of a group, even if they are acquaintances, you lose grip. Perhaps you have presentation anxiety or you want to learn to present better. Edwin Selij gives personal tips!

Here's how to become a star at presenting



Visualize

Edwin: "I wouldn't be Edwin if I didn't bring you the solution of (self) hypnosis. One in which you visualize your best self. It's a powerful way to give you self-confidence."

Ask yourself these questions:

  • What do you look like when you give a presentation perfectly?
  • How do you feel during a perfect presentation?
  • What is the worst thing that can happen when you lose perfection for a moment?
  • What does the room smell like when you give a perfect presentation?
  • How do your hands feel when you give a perfect presentation?
  • How do you respond to your audience during the perfect presentation?

Close your eyes and respond by moving toward your desired feeling.

Breathe

"Your breathing is your anchor. Before you start, make sure you take a moment to ground yourself. Breathe in and out five times and make sure you are aware that you are standing there. Look into the audience and make sure you've observed everyone from left and right for a moment."

Repeat

Just because you present the right information doesn't mean it has reached your audience. It sometimes takes a hundred or a thousand times for that to happen. For example, how many times have you heard something before you acted on it? Or that you thought, "And now I've memorized it." Restrooms are full of useful facts and good truths. Yet many people don't do those things, like:

"Love Yourself."

You know it, but do you do it? You often get very different answers to this. Yet you want to avoid repeating yourself during your presentation.

Vary

In my case, I want people to think hypnosis is cool. After proclaiming the same thing three times, your audience knows it. That's why it's important to use variations that make the same thing clear:

  • You can just tell.
  • You can wrap it up in an anecdote.
  • You can give a metaphor.
  • You can catch up on research or experiments.
  • You can ask for experiences. Then someone says something and then maybe I can talk back to my point: "Actually, that experience was like hypnosis." You link the experience to your point.
  • You can share stories of experience from your work, or from your life.
  • You can do exercises that demonstrate your point.

If you always bring your point in different ways, it comes alive with your audience and people start thinking about it. They will thus come to the conclusion themselves and will confirm that your point is true (yes, hypnosis is actually pretty cool!). The enthusiasm and credibility with your audience is fluff and the goal of your presentation is achieved!"

Good luck!