Resource · ~6 min read
Fear of public speaking.
In short
Fear of public speaking is one of the most common fears there is: nerves, a racing heart and a dread of going blank or being judged. It tends to be kept going by over-preparation, avoidance and safety behaviours. What helps is preparing enough but not too much, testing the feared forecast, expecting and accepting the nerves, slowing your breathing and your opening, and speaking more often in small steps.
Rose Markotic · Anxiety Skills Coach
Rose’s path here runs through more than a decade of clinical training and practice — graduate training at Santa Clara University and years inside Dr. David Burns’ TEAM-CBT group at Stanford, the home of the measurement-driven framework.
Why am I so afraid of public speaking?
Speaking to a group puts you in the spotlight, and your brain reads being watched and judged as a threat. That triggers the alarm: racing heart, dry mouth, shaky voice. Then the fear of those symptoms being noticed adds a second layer. Most audiences notice far less than you feel, and are generally on the speaker’s side.
How do you overcome fear of public speaking?
1. Prepare, then stop preparing
Know your opening and your key points well. Beyond that, over-rehearsing every word makes you more anxious and less natural. Prepare enough, then stop.
2. Test the forecast
Write down what you expect to happen: "I'll go blank and everyone will notice." Then ask how likely that really is, and what you'd do if it happened. A coping plan beats a guarantee.
3. Expect the nerves
A racing heart before you speak is normal, not a sign it's going wrong. Telling yourself "this is just adrenaline" works better than trying to force calm.
4. Slow your breathing and your first sentence
Before you start, breathe out slowly a few times. Then say your first sentence more slowly than feels natural. A calm start settles the rest.
5. Drop the safety behaviours
Reading word for word, avoiding eye contact and rushing feel protective, but they keep the fear going. Drop one at a time and see what happens.
6. Speak more, in small steps
Confidence comes from repetition. Look for low-stakes chances to speak: a comment in a meeting, a short update, a question at an event. Each one adds evidence that you can do it.
If the dread starts days before, see anticipatory anxiety and imposter syndrome.
Questions about medication for performance nerves are for your GP or pharmacist.
When to see a licensed professional
If fear of speaking leads to panic attacks, makes you avoid meetings or turn down work, or comes with low mood that lasts for weeks or thoughts of harming yourself, please see your GP or a licensed professional. Coaching teaches skills; it isn’t a substitute for clinical care. The crisis resources page lists 24-hour lines for the UK and across Europe.
Frequently asked
Common questions
- How do I get over my fear of public speaking?
- Prepare your opening and key points but avoid over-rehearsing, write down and test what you fear will happen, expect the nerves rather than fighting them, slow your breathing and your first sentence, and speak more often in small, low-stakes ways.
- Is fear of public speaking normal?
- Yes, it's one of the most common fears. Nerves before speaking are normal; they become a problem when they lead you to avoid opportunities or cause panic attacks.
- How do I stop shaking when presenting?
- Shaking comes from adrenaline. Slow, long out-breaths before you start help, as does holding notes on a card rather than paper. Accepting the shaking rather than fighting it often makes it fade faster.
- Can a coach help with fear of public speaking?
- Yes, for everyday presentation nerves: testing the forecast, dropping safety behaviours and planning small steps. Rose works online, in English, with professionals across the UK and Europe. Panic attacks need your GP.
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