by Gilda Bonanno http://www.gildabonanno.com/While attending the National Speakers Association Convention (NSA) in Orlando a few weeks ago, I attended a session by Dr. Terry Paulson. He's a renowned motivational speaker, Ph.D. psychologist and a leading authority on change management.
One of the things that stuck with me the most from his presentation was how he described optimism as "earned" since it "comes from a track record of overcoming obstacles." I think this description of optimism applies to life in general and specifically to public speaking - the more positive experiences you have speaking in public, the more confidence you will have and the better you will present the next time.
And even small steps count as positive experiences; for example, introducing yourself clearly and concisely at a networking event or answering a question with confidence at a staff meeting.
So rather than berating yourself for not being a better speaker, commit to developing your public speaking skills and look for opportunities to have positive experiences that will build your confidence.
To find out more about Dr. Paulson, check out his website http://www.terrypaulson.com/ or his new book, The Optimism Advantage: 50 Simple Truths to Transform Your Attitudes and Actions into Results
(Amazon affiliate link) which I look forward to reading. Gilda Bonanno's blog www.gildabonanno.blogspot.com