I think it's funny that people consider me a decent public speaker. You should've seen me a few years ago!
I still get butterflies in my stomach before I get in front of strangers and even in front of people I know. It's natural.

So what are the things that helped me get past my nervousness?  Here's the secret:

Just do it!  That's right. Just like your parents used to tell you, Practice Makes Perfect. You can't become a good public speaker by talking to yourself in the mirror. It's a great way to practice and see what you look like, but there's no substitute for just getting up there and doing it.

Here are a few tips:
- Don't drink caffeine before you go onstage
- Take a few cleansing breaths
- Try to walk through what you're going to say a couple times before you stand up
- Know that it won't last forever. It's kinda like a band-aid. Just rip it off.
- Use an outline instead of trying to memorize

I know I make it sound easy but taking that first step is the hardest. Again, just start volunteering to do things like giving short classes or tutorials. It'll help you get to the bigger stuff down the road.


Carlos Cooper is Co-Founder of S.O.S. University. You can visit his website HERE