Mental Preparation: What works for you?

[Gemini]

I was recently asked to do something that I really dislike...public speaking.

While I'm not by any means bad at it, neither does it come naturally and it takes a lot of mental preparation on my part to pull it off successfully.

The reason I raise the issue here is because it was my mental training for competition that taught me how to prepare myself mentally for those events that take us out of our comfort zone and become overwhelmed. I also learned that there was more than one way to pull it off.

Always one to expand horizons, I'd like to know what works for you?

Regards,

 

[terryl965]

BTO or AC/DC right before anything that make me uncomfitable. The music helps me relax.

 

[Gemini]

BTO or AC/DC right before anything that make me uncomfitable. The music helps me relax.

Yep. That's certainly one way. Music can serve effectively as either a distraction or motivation. I listen to Brain Stew just before lining up at the track and if Thunderstuck can pump you up, you need to check for a pulse.

 

[Noah_Legel]

When I was asked to speak at an inner-city grade school a few years ago I was very nervous--I hated public speaking and actually nearly failed Speech class in High School. What I ended up doing was sitting down, closing my eyes and reciting my speech in my head while imagining myself doing so in front of a gymnasium full of kids. Also, breaking a stack of boards at the end of my speech helped relieve the stress that built up while I was talking and made answering questions afterward much easier.

 

[Gemini]

Also, breaking a stack of boards at the end of my speech helped relieve the stress that built up while I was talking and made answering questions afterward much easier.

I wonder if I did that in front of the 800 company employees anyone would notice.

Seriously, Likewise, I found familiarizing myself with the material takes a great deal of nervousness out of it by building self confidence in the task at hand. Now in a situation that escalates in a hurry and you have no time to prepare, what?

 

[Ken Morgan]

I speak everyday in front of kids, and I’ve spoken to crowds of between 100 – 500 on quite a regular basis, and the whole trick is, as you’ve said, is prepare, prepare, prepare. There is nothing else you can do. Know your material inside and out, backwards and forwards.

As for a last minute thing, I try to have fun with it, AND make sure I know my material as much as possible. If you go in there tense and nervous you will screw up, I try to go in with a “screw it” attitude and just do what I’m there to do. If they don’t like it, too bad.

 

[Flea]

One thing I'll do is quietly smile as I tell myself that failure simply isn't on the list of options because it doesn't exist.

:knight2:


If I'm really nervous though, I'll pull out a piece of paper and write out a "checklist" of affirmations. Things like I AM BADASS, THEY CANT LIVE WITHOUT ME, I AM HOT **** ... It's hokey, but it gets the job done.

 

[MA-Caver]

As a guy who grew up as a type B personality when I got my job (tour guide) I had to change to a type A to do it. Meeting up to 30-40 strangers in a group and trying to teach them something while being entertaining ... well, I'd never imagined myself doing it.

Mentally preparing myself? :idunno: simply learned how NOT to care what they thought of me and not to over do it so much that I'd make a fool outta myself. 728 tours later I think I've done pretty good so far. To keep myself calm I play some good tunes in my head, in between the times I have to speak.

As for other things, well, it depends upon the situation. Sometimes one has to think quickly and prepare quickly and others, don't stress it and brain train.

 

[Gemini]

One thing I'll do is quietly smile as I tell myself that failure simply isn't on the list of options because it doesn't exist.

I've had limited success with this. My most notable failure was a presentation in front of our top leadership because while I can talk, I can't read and you guessed it, I had to read something. I think it has to do with eye contact or something. Anyway, I had an anxiety attack and was laughing at myself for acting like such an amateur all at the same time.

Mentally preparing myself? simply learned how NOT to care what they thought of me and not to over do it so much that I'd make a fool outta myself...To keep myself calm I play some good tunes in my head, in between the times I have to speak..

I try that also. As much as I tell myself nit to care, I have yet to actually convince myself not to do it for a sustained time. There's a missing ingredient in there somewhere.
It's those in between times that are the hardest. Those are the opinions I'm really after. "Showtime", whether on the mat, in a group or in an escalated situation, has never really been a problem for me.

As for other things, well, it depends upon the situation. Sometimes one has to think quickly and prepare quickly and others, don't stress it and brain train.

Brain train. That's the key. While it's a constant struggle for me, I can't help but think there's a secret to this that I just don't get. Maybe my expectations aren't realistic and it's an ongoing work in progress for everyone.

 

[Josh Oakley]

Visualization and mental rehearsal. Imagine, while you practice your speech that you're already in front of a large audience.

Here's one now!

Blow that up really big and practice in front of it.

BettWho knows? ONe day this could be you:

So when you're a milti-millionaire, off of this advice, I don't expect much. $250,000. That's all I'm asking.

 

[Gemini]

Visualization and mental rehearsal. Imagine, while you practice your speech that you're already in front of a large audience.

I try to do that now, but it's really never seemed to help me prep. I can imagine myself there, but I just don't get a sense of realization from it.

BettWho knows? ONe day this could be you:

Oh, it wiill be and in the not-to-distant future either.

So when you're a milti-millionaire, off of this advice, I don't expect much. $250,000. That's all I'm asking.

Hey, If I can make it as a motivational speaker off of your advise, you've earned it!

 

[KenpoVzla]

What works for me?

1. Realizing that in some way or another I know more about the subject than the people there and that they are there to learn from me. We can always learn no matter what level we think we are at.
2. Realizing that public speaking is really TALKING. Nothing more than that.
3. Get in that state where I know that if I've done it before, then I can do it again because in one way or another, my mind knows how to get there. That thought alone is a huge confidence boost.

For public speaking I would definitely recommend Speak and Grow Rich http://www.amazon.com/Speak-Grow-Ri...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1287101569&sr=8-1

 

[Josh Oakley]

Actually, one of the best ways is to join your local Toastmasters. Hands down, THE best way to get good at public speaking is to SPEAK IN PUBLIC! And Toastmasters is full of friendly people who will give you positive feedback.

WEBSITE: http://www.toastmasters.org/

 

[Gemini]

Actually, one of the best ways is to join your local Toastmasters. Hands down, THE best way to get good at public speaking is to SPEAK IN PUBLIC! And Toastmasters is full of friendly people who will give you positive feedback.

WEBSITE: http://www.toastmasters.org/

Good point, but to topic, I'm really looking for the mental preparation methods that folks find useful. Public speaking was just one of the examples and the catylist for the topic.

Interestingly enough though, I found this on the link you provided.

Toastmasters International is looking for experienced and dynamic speakers interested in presenting communication and leadership topics at the August, 2011 Convention in Las Vegas.

Think I'll check it out. Thanks for the link!

 

[Gemini]

Realizing that in some way or another I know more about the subject than the people there and that they are there to learn from me. We can always learn no matter what level we think we are at.

1. Realizing that public speaking is really TALKING. Nothing more than that.
2. Get in that state where I know that if I've done it before, then I can do it again because in one way or another, my mind knows how to get there. That thought alone is a huge confidence boost.

Great advise. I've tried to see that realization of #1 (because it is true) before but I didn't buy it.

#2 though... I've been sitting here thinking about that for awhile. Very unique concept that I've never tried.

BTW. My family is from Ottawa.

 

[Flea]

If you really want to geek out, there's a virtual reality program for public speaking. You can adjust the size and temperament of the audience to spec. It's pretty cool.

 

[Bruno@MT]

I speak everyday in front of kids, and I’ve spoken to crowds of between 100 – 500 on quite a regular basis, and the whole trick is, as you’ve said, is prepare, prepare, prepare. There is nothing else you can do. Know your material inside and out, backwards and forwards.

As for a last minute thing, I try to have fun with it, AND make sure I know my material as much as possible. If you go in there tense and nervous you will screw up, I try to go in with a “screw it” attitude and just do what I’m there to do. If they don’t like it, too bad.

+1

Know your material, and prepare. Prepare some slides if you can use them, or prepare the way you are going to present your talk, the sequence of topics covered, etc. When you have that down, give that presentation to your pets or an audience of stuffed animals.

With that covered, there is the matter of the actual presentation. What helps me is to mentally say: **** you. I am giving this presentation because I feel like giving this presentation. You (the audience) are only here because you want to hear what I am saying. I am not giving this presentation for you. You are merely my guests.

 

[Gemini]

If you really want to geek out, there's a virtual reality program for public speaking. You can adjust the size and temperament of the audience to spec. It's pretty cool.

It does sound pretty cool. I wonder how effective it is in its translation to reality though. I mean, I'd set that bad boy right on "Angry Mob". lol. I mean, they can't hurt me (can they?i,.e. Vertuosity), but in reality it isn't something I would rush in to.

 

[Gemini]

Know your material, and prepare.

Yep. that's always what's worked best for me, but it doesn't address the escalation part of the question when you don't have time to prepare. You just need to call it up.
A very smart man once told me "When necessity arises, time for preparation is over". In other words, I've been practicing physical moves for years in the event I should ever need them. I'm very confident in my physical ability to protect myself. Now, what works equally well for the mental part of the equation?

With that covered, there is the matter of the actual presentation. What helps me is to mentally say: **** you. I am giving this presentation because I feel like giving this presentation. You (the audience) are only here because you want to hear what I am saying. I am not giving this presentation for you. You are merely my guests.

I like this. It reminds me of a potential altercation I had at a hockey game. It was with this same aura of superiority that ultimately deescalated the situation. I had completely forgotten about it until this post.

 

[Bruno@MT]

Yep. that's always what's worked best for me, but it doesn't address the escalation part of the question when you don't have time to prepare. You just need to call it up.
A very smart man once told me "When necessity arises, time for preparation is over". In other words, I've been practicing physical moves for years in the event I should ever need them. I'm very confident in my physical ability to protect myself. Now, what works equally well for the mental part of the equation?

More preparation. I mean you should always be prepared. Be good at what you do and learn about it.
I am system administrator of a production network in a pharmaceutical company. We are audited several times per year by the FDA and various other similar agencies. Such audits can make or break a company.

However, I don't specially prepare myself for such an audit. An FDA auditor could show up at my desk and start asking questions any time, for all I care. The reason is that I continuously think about the state of the network, ever since I got put in charge of it. I continuously ask myself difficult questions and then figure out the answer until I can think of no more questions. In my head, I am always playing 'what if' scenarios. And more importantly, I make sure that all those scenarios and questions are answered in a way that I can defend in front of a team of auditors.

I have even created a high level presentation of the entire system, with links to network drawings, all procedures, etc. This way, I have done all the thinking up front, and if an auditor (like today ) wants a presentation, I pull it out and give a good presentation, confident that I covered all major angles.

Ergo I don't need special preparation.

I like this. It reminds me of a potential altercation I had at a hockey game. It was with this same aura of superiority that ultimately deescalated the situation. I had completely forgotten about it until this post.

I learned long ago that if you have no confidence in yourself, noone else will either.