How To Overcome Stage Fright

Stage fright afflicts most people. Whether they're famous, talented, whether it be a TV star, film star, professional speaker, comedian, whoever it is, we all can suffer from stage fright. But there are ways of dealing with it.

One of the key aspects of stage fright, the nerves, the fear that the audience won't like us, that we'll fail in some way, well, these are perfectly natural feelings. But nerves are a good thing, because they're like the spark that ignites the engine of what is your performance, and makes you perform to the levels that you do. And actually, every audience wants you to do well.

Whether you're singing, telling jokes, speaking, acting, or whatever it is, they want you to do well. That's why they paid to see you, or they've come to see you, whether they paid or not. So those are things to remember.

One of the key things, one of the key tools for overcoming stage fright is to prepare thoroughly. So you don't just turn up at a theatre, or at a business event, and just perform. No.

The way to overcome stage fright is to prepare thoroughly, so you know who the audience is, what their age is, what their expectations are, what type of people they are, even how much they paid, the size of the auditorium, the shape of it, the stage itself. Where are the microphones? Where are the lights? Where are the stands? What time are you on? Who is there? What time do you need to get there? How long are you speaking for, performing for? Ask all these questions, so before you actually go into the environment in which you'll be performing, you'll know it as if you've been there many times before. Therefore, it will be the known, as opposed to the unknown, with the former being much more reassuring.

Also, give yourself time beforehand. Don't get there in a rush. Get there in banks of time so you can familiarize yourself with the place you're going to be performing in.

Try breathing exercises, muscle relaxation exercises, and play movies in your mind of how well you'll perform. Not just the applause you'll get and the laughter you'll get when you need it, and how everybody loves you, but also any challenges you have to overcome, and picture that in your mind, with all the sounds, sights and sensations, the positive ones, and you'll do a great job, and overcome stage fright. |Lights, camera, action - get ready to overcome your stage fright with these tips and tactics from author Sean Brickell. Professionals and amateurs alike can all benefit from his advice to improve their public performance and put stage fright in its place - backstage!.