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I Can’t Go On!

By Joan Acocella

Sara Solovitch, in “Playing Scared: A History and Memoir of Stage Fright” (Bloomsbury), says that while she was a good pianist as a child, she fell apart—sweating, trembling—when she had to play for an audience. She got through the Eastman School of Music’s preparatory program. Then she quit studying piano, grew up, got married, had children, and became a journalist. In her late forties, though, she drifted back to the piano, taking a course at a community college. By this point, she had no professional ambitions. Surely, she thought, she would now be able to perform calmly. But when her teacher asked her, one night, to play in front of the class, her hands began shaking so hard that she could barely strike the keyboard: “I gazed down at myself from a distance high above the keys, watching a body that was no longer in charge. My fear was at the controls, like an independent organism emerging from inside me, my own Rosemary’s baby.”

Stagefright has not been heavily studied, which is strange because, as Solovitch tells us, it is common not only among those who make their living on the stage but among the rest of us, too. In 2012, two researchers at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, Karen Dwyer and Marlina Davidson, administered a survey to eight hundred and fifteen college students, asking them to select their three greatest fears from a list that included, among other things, heights, flying, financial problems, deep water, death, and “speaking before a group.” Speaking before a group beat out all the others, even death.

Stagefright has been aptly described as “self-poisoning by adrenaline.” In response to stress, the adrenal glands pump the hormone epinephrine (adrenaline) into the bloodstream, causing the body to shift into a state of high arousal. The person’s muscles tense, he sweats and shakes, his heart pounds, his mouth goes dry, he has trouble breathing, he may become nauseated or dizzy, and his throat constricts, making his voice rise in pitch. This is the so-called “fight or flight” response, which our species is thought to have developed because it helped prepare the body for forceful action in response to a threat. But what Cro-Magnon man needed upon finding a bear in his cave is not what a modern person needs in order to play King Lear. Without the release of abrupt action, the hyperactivation becomes, basically, a panic attack.

As for the thoughts accompanying the physical response, the most important seems to be a feeling of exposure. The English theatre scholar Nicholas Ridout, in his excellent book “Stage Fright, Animals, and Other Theatrical Problems” (2006), compares the situation to that of a snail having its shell ripped off. His countryman Stephen Fry, who, one day in 1995, left London—indeed, England—to avoid appearing in the play he was scheduled to perform in, says that, when stagefright hits, the audience sees “the shrivelled penis in your head.” And, in the typical case, the performer can do nothing to change the spectators’ minds, because he feels utterly empty. In 1989, Daniel Day-Lewis, playing the title role in Richard Eyre’s production of “Hamlet” at London’s National Theatre, turned on his heel in the middle of the show and walked off the stage, never to return. (In the twenty-six years since then, he has acted only in movies.) “I had nothing in me, nothing to say, nothing to give,” he said. Others stay, but only by force of sheer, grinding will.

In a number of ways, stagefright doesn’t make sense. Laurence Olivier, when he was in his late fifties, was visited by a spell that lasted, intermittently, for five years, causing him great anguish. At the time, he was the most celebrated stage actor in England. How could he be frightened of failing? Ditto Mikhail Baryshnikov. In the nineteen-seventies and eighties, Baryshnikov was the most famous ballet dancer in the world, and he probably still is, though he ceased classical dancing some twenty-five years ago. Since then, he has built a successful career in modern dance and theatre. But he experiences terrible stagefright, and says that it has only got worse over the years.

This is another mystery of stagefright—that, in so many cases, it doesn’t let up with time. If the artist repeatedly goes onstage fearing failure, and instead has a success, shouldn’t the fear eventually extinguish? “I am onstage more than fifty years,” Baryshnikov says. “Sometimes I do shows every night for weeks. Still, it never doesn’t come. Starts four hours before. I don’t even try to fight it anymore. I know it will always be there.”

A final mystery of stagefright is just how many otherwise capable people suffer from it. A few writers on the subject have suggested that it is a modern phenomenon, born of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. But Scott Stossel, in his recent book “My Age of Anxiety,” quotes Cicero, ancient Rome’s acclaimed orator, saying, “I turn pale at the outset of a speech and quake in every limb.” After Cicero, examples in the literature thin out until the eighteenth century. Then, however, we get some impressive ones, including Thomas Jefferson, who is said to have been mortally afraid of public speaking. As President, he gave only two speeches, his two inaugural addresses. Gandhi was terrified of having to speak to a group: his vision would fog over; he would fall mute.

As for performers, Barbra Streisand, singing in front of more than a hundred thousand people in Central Park, one night in 1967, repeatedly forgot her lyrics. For twenty-seven years thereafter, she refused to perform live except at charity concerts. Adele told British Vogue , “I puke quite a lot before going on stage, though never actually on the stage.” Jay Z told Terry Gross, on “Fresh Air,” that performance anxiety is the reason rappers often grab their crotches when performing. Many of them, he said, are not accustomed to live performance. “You get up there, you feel naked,” Jay Z said. “So when you feel naked what’s the first thing you do? You cover yourself.”

But singers don’t have to perform live; they can fall back on recording. The two most famous stagefright victims among concert pianists also took that route. Vladimir Horowitz, probably the most acclaimed piano virtuoso of the late twentieth century, retired from public performing four times, for long periods. (One lasted twelve years.) But he didn’t stay home. Some of his finest recordings were made during those sabbaticals. An even more notorious withdrawal, because it was permanent, was that of the Canadian master Glenn Gould. From the beginning of his concertizing career, when he was in his teens, Gould feared and hated the audience. He felt that the spectators wanted him to fail; he was sure that, in any case, he would get germs from them. He retired from the stage at the age of thirty-one and devoted the rest of his short life—he died at fifty—to experimental recordings. In a parallel manner, actors like Daniel Day-Lewis who have found that they can’t bear the stage have switched over to film. There they needn’t fear a muffed scene so much; they can always ask for a retake.

These examples, numerous as they are, are just the ones that appealed to me. There are many, many more: Ella Fitzgerald, Luciano Pavarotti, Mel Gibson. And those are only the people who have been willing to talk about the problem, or whom others have talked about. Performers are often reluctant to discuss stagefright. They think it’s bad luck. (Likewise, most baseball players do not want to discuss the yips.) Also, the stories that one hears are usually about the very bad cases, whereas stagefright is not a single condition but a spectrum, stretching from those who may vomit in their dressing rooms but then go onstage, blazingly, to those who are forced to stop performing. In between is a large intermediate group of people whose careers have been not ended but simply diminished by anxiety. Two years ago, before undertaking a one-woman show on Broadway, Bette Midler told Patrick Healy, of the Times , that she had wanted to be a serious dramatic actress but had faltered for lack of courage. “I have that terror,” she said. “Will people like you? Will they ask you back? Did I make the cut? That’s always on my mind.” To hear the brash, funny, commanding (as far as we knew) Midler tell of worrying whether people would like her is painful. But, in every group of artists, the insiders can tell you who, among them, should have had a bigger career but, for some reason, was held back.

Forces in the culture may help breed stagefright, by making avoidance of the stage seem a reasonable artistic choice. Twentieth-century avant-garde theatre had a strong anti-theatrical bias, the idea being that to care about the people in the audience—to want to entertain them or even to make oneself understood by them—was a forfeiture of artistic status, a lowering of one’s sights. In 1958, the serial composer Milton Babbitt published an essay entitled “Who Cares If You Listen?,” and, though he later said that the title was invented by an editor, its wording sums up the essay pretty accurately. (In music, the twentieth-century artist’s divorce from the general public was probably more bitter than in any other art.)

The popularity, in the nineteen-sixties and seventies, of the writings of the communications theorist Marshall McLuhan no doubt increased the estrangement between the audience and performers who were trained to the live stage. According to McLuhan, what mattered in a work of art—or, at least, what the audience responded to—was not so much the intended content as the medium through which it was conveyed: whether it was live or broadcast, and, if broadcast, on radio or television, and with what amplification, what splices and inserts, and so on. Glenn Gould was a devotee of McLuhan, and to be a McLuhanite meant that you could abandon live performance without any shame, any talk of fright. You were just doing the up-to-date thing. But, in any discussion of the relationship between technology and stagefright, splices and inserts are a small matter. The crux, of course, was the invention of sound recording and then of film, in the late nineteenth century. These things did not create stagefright, but they fostered it, by enabling performers to do their work without having to appear in front of an audience.

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Nicholas Ridout says that stagefright may also have social and political underpinnings. Before the twentieth century, and certainly before the nineteenth, many people onstage were there at the behest not of the public but of private patrons—for example, the king. Such performers could, of course, lose their patrons’ favor, but success and failure were not as coldly calculated as they came to be via the box office. Once that switch occurred, paychecks were at risk, not just esteem and self-esteem. Around the same time, the social class of actors began to merge with that of their characters. With the advent of realism, plays were no longer about the rich or the royal; they were about Uncle Vanya or Hedda Gabler. Meanwhile, with the decline in the power of the Church, a stage career became less stigmatized socially. Actors rose into the middle class. In the words of Ridout, “This means that the ‘actual life’ the actor is required to simulate is close enough to her own life for her own to become a private resource for public display.”

The convergence was hastened by the introduction of the Stanislavsky technique in Russia and its spread to the West as “method acting.” Now actors were not just socioeconomically nudged toward identification with their characters; they were forthrightly asked to invest their most personal resources—their emotions, their memories—in their enactments, so that when the audience clapped, or not, the actors could easily feel that what was being approved or disapproved was not so much their skill as them . It is no surprise that the person who came up with the image of the audience as a black hole was Stanislavsky. In his treatise “An Actor Prepares,” the young actor Kostya, describing a rehearsal of “Othello,” says, “I had hardly stepped on to the stage when there loomed up in front of me the immense hole of the proscenium arch, and beyond it an endless expanse of dark mist.” An endless expanse, dark: this is something out of a nightmare, something that could suck you in, swallow you, and your family would never find you again.

Add to these complex factors a simpler one: stagefright may be the product of nothing more than shyness, a disinclination to do one’s work in front of a roomful of people. Carly Simon, who had a long history of stagefright—she once took six years off from live performing—was asked about this by Charlie Rose. She answered that she wouldn’t call it fright. She just didn’t want to be center stage. “I would prefer to be a background singer or a tambourine player, or part of the crew,” she said. It seems cruel that someone who has been given the gift of singing or acting or dancing should find herself unequipped with the wish to exercise it in public. Some performers displace this cruelty onto the audience. The pianist Charles Rosen believed that the spectators were out there waiting for the performer to slip up: “The silence of the audience is not that of a public that listens but of one that watches —like the dead hush that accompanies the unsteady movement of the tightrope walker poised over his perilous space.”

It’s logical that this strong statement should come from a concert pianist. Though many writers on stagefright loyally claim that their own art carries the highest risk, I do not see how anyone could deny that musicians have it hardest. Dancers get relief from anxiety just by moving, and to a rhythm, which restores regular breathing. Actors, when the curtain goes up, usually have some narrative matter that they have to communicate to the audience—the dinner guests are coming, the kingdom has to be divided in three, whatever—and this task will help get their minds off their jitters. Furthermore, dancers and actors are usually onstage with others, who cue them for their lines and their steps, and just keep them company. Solo performers of music are up there alone.

Then, there are the special circumstances of the musicians’ education. Typically, they have not had what anyone would call a normal childhood. At least by adolescence, a person aiming at a soloist career in classical music is practicing about five hours a day. This means that he is alone for at least a third of his waking hours and therefore, unlike his peers, is not engaged in what psychologists call “ego development.” He is not finding out what other people are like; he is not learning how to handle doubt, fear, envy, delay, failure—indeed, success. And, if the young pianist and his family are ambitious, this curtain will come down long before adolescence. Charles Rosen started piano lessons at four and went to Juilliard when he was seven. Could he open the school’s front door? Could he reach the drinking fountain?

There are various ways of coping with stagefright. One is drugs, notably, beta-blockers, which interfere with the binding of stress hormones to their receptors in the sympathetic nervous system and thus weaken the fight-or-flight response. Notably, they quiet pounding hearts. They were first marketed, in 1967, to treat angina, and they are still prescribed for that purpose, as well as for others. But people with heart problems are not the only ones who have palpitations. A 1987 survey conducted by the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians, which represents fifty-two major orchestras in the United States, found that twenty-seven per cent of its members had used beta-blockers. Today, the figure is no doubt considerably higher.

For years, the drugs were controversial. Some people said they resulted in “phoned in” performances. Some raised the ethical question, asking whether the use of beta-blockers by pianists was any different from the use of steroids by athletes. (There is an important distinction, though. Steroids add to the body, increasing muscle mass in order to improve performance. Beta-blockers remove something from the body—the flutist’s lip tremors, the cellist’s hand tremors—in order to permit the person to produce the kind of performance he has already shown himself capable of, outside the auditorium.) But opposition seems to be dwindling. In 2004, the psychiatrist Michael Craig Miller, who was then the editor of The Harvard Mental Health Letter , told the Times , “There’s very little downside except whatever number you do on yourself about taking the drugs.”

Beta-blockers temper only the physical symptoms of anxiety. Instead of sitting there saying to yourself, “Oh, I’m going to do terribly,” and listening to your heart pound, you say those things without listening to your heart pound. If you want, in addition, to eliminate the cognitive components of performance anxiety, you have to look elsewhere. There is a wide range of behavioral and mental exercises that might help, and these are the main subject of Sara Solovitch’s “Playing Scared.” Few of them have firm scientific support, but Solovitch is kind to them.

At the more reasonable end of the spectrum are the Eastern-derived disciplines, such as yoga and meditation. These do not necessarily cure the stagefrightened but simply comfort them, as they do other people, by getting them to breathe properly, taking their minds off their troubles, and, perhaps, for those who are so inclined, putting them in touch with a higher power. Another approach is cognitive-behavioral therapy, or the guided revision of one’s thoughts. Like yoga, this is certainly not something that was invented for stagefright—it’s what people with regular insurance plans are likely to receive today by way of psychotherapy—but it can, apparently, help some victims of performance anxiety, above all by discouraging perfectionism.

Things don’t stay commonsensical for long, however. “Stage fright is passion energy that’s stuck in the body,” one therapist tells Solovitch. A trumpet player advises her—she paraphrases—to “love yourself into excellence by cultivating an internal audience that’s loving.” Soon Solovitch introduces us to E.F.T. (Emotional Freedom Technique), in which you tap various places on your face while uttering restorative phrases, such as “I deeply and completely accept myself,” and E.M.D.R. (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), whereby you replace traumatic memories with good memories as the therapist moves his fingers back and forth in front of your face.

With these treatments, though, Solovitch can at least say what is observably taking place. Other teachers and therapists she interviews don’t seem to tell her much more, in essence, than that people with stagefright must be induced to “center” and “focus” and move into the “zone.” She’s not fooled that she’s getting clear answers, but she is sometimes charmed by the eccentricities and the enthusiasms that flourish in this corner of the therapeutic community. She tells how one seventy-five-year-old stagefright specialist, a psychiatrist with a side career in jazz piano, runs up and down Mt. Tamalpais four times a week. She takes detours into the performance anxieties of other cultures: aymat zibur , or fear of saying prayers, among Orthodox Jews in Israel; dhat , or semen-worry, among Hindus. This is fun, but one senses that Solovitch wouldn’t be bothering with it if her declared subject, the treatment of stagefright, were large enough to fill a book. It isn’t. There seems to be no cure for stagefright.

Maybe it’s foolish to expect that there would be. Really, what many of these performers do is almost impossibly difficult. They’re right to be afraid. Solovitch repeats a famous story about Pablo Casals. Once, in 1901, he went hiking and a big rock fell on his bowing hand, crushing several fingers. Casals recalled that his first thought was: “Thank God! I’ll never have to play the cello again!” By that time, though he was only twenty-four, he was regarded by many as the greatest cellist in the world. He had given a command performance before Queen Victoria; he would soon give one for Teddy Roosevelt. So imagine what it was like for him, year after year—he lived to be ninety-six—to walk into concert halls filled with people who had come to see the greatest cellist in the world. Baryshnikov believes that it is the feeling of obligation to the audience that triggers stagefright: “Suddenly the morality kicks in. These people bought a ticket to your show.” He thinks it is useful, if he has to give a speech, to say something completely outrageous to himself beforehand: “Like ‘What the fuck I am doing here?’ You hear your voice. Somehow it helps.” Perhaps, by its craziness, it mitigates the morality.

Sometimes, when performers speak of stagefright, one senses that they do not actually wish it gone—that, for them, it is almost a badge of honor, or, at least, proof that they’re serious about their work. As musicians, especially, will tell you, what they are doing up there is not meeting an agreed-upon goal but, rather, creating something new. Horowitz insisted that the notes in the score did not tell you what the music was. The music was behind the notes, he said, and the performance was your search for it: “I play, so to speak, from the other side of the score, looking back.” This sounds pretty frightening, and, according to some, it was—for the audience. André Watts said that Horowitz, onstage, was “like a demon barely under control.”

There is considerable romanticism in all this. The idea is that the performing artist is a sort of Prometheus: in order to bring us the fire, he has to agree to have his liver eaten. “A divine ailment, a sacred madness”: that’s what Charles Rosen called stagefright. He said that its physical manifestations were the same as those described in medieval medical treatises as the symptoms of the disease of being in love. Many performing artists would be embarrassed to go that far. “People tell you that you have to be nervous to do well,” Emanuel Ax says. “I don’t believe that.” He also finds it self-congratulatory: “Playing the piano, it’s not brain surgery. If I don’t do well, nobody’s going to die.” And he feels that stagefright is a betrayal of what should be the spirit of concertizing. “What you’re trying to do is share music with people who want to hear music.” So why all the fuss? “It’s a terrible waste of time.”

Still, he has stagefright. He doesn’t throw up, he says, but his hands go icy cold. “It happens every time, in varying degrees.” He thinks he’s getting over it, though. Or, “I’m working on it.” He’s sixty-six. ♦

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By Louis Menand

By Margaret Talbot

By Benjamin Wallace-Wells

Seven tips to overcome stage fright

Stage fright is an incredibly common issue, often associated with fear of public speaking or performance anxiety. It refers to the feeling of getting nervous at the idea of being in front of an audience. It usually strikes before you need to give a speech or presentation or otherwise speak or perform for others. In most cases, stage fright is mild and diminishes in response to simple self-help strategies like deep breathing and giving yourself a pep talk. For some, however, the fear can lead to severe anxiety or even social phobia. No matter how stage fright might affect you, there are several tactics you can try to lessen its impact on you and overcome stage fright.

Tips to try for overcoming stage fright

Prepare appropriately.

Preparation can help you embody confidence—and the more confidence you have, the less room there may be for fear. This is why being ready for your presentation or performance matters. Take advantage of all the preparation time you’re given. If you are speaking, rehearse often. Memorize your lines, plan out your pauses and breaths, and practice making eye contact with the audience. If you’re dancing, acting, or playing music, dedicate sufficient time to training. The more comfortable you are with what you’re presenting, the less nervous you may be.

One way to prepare is by hosting a mock presentation for friends or family. You can control how many people are watching you and the stakes are low if you make a mistake, but you still benefit from speaking or performing in front of a group before the big day. Ask for feedback from your audience to improve your presentation, and repeat the exercise as often as necessary until you feel more comfortable.

Shift your perspective

Although it can be scary to get up in front of a crowd, you might benefit from trying to shift your focus from what you’re afraid of to what you or someone else might gain from the experience. For example, if you’re going to be speaking in front of others, consider the potential outcome your speech may have. Will it save money? Advance your career? Teach someone vital information? Could it potentially improve or even save lives? Or, if you’re imparting art in the form of dance, poetry, or music, for instance, think about the audiences who may be touched by your work, and the fulfillment you’ll feel by having put yourself out there. 

Practice positive self-talk

It can also be helpful to examine the way you’re speaking to yourself about your fears. Do you find yourself saying things like "I’ll never get this", "I'm not smart enough to do this”, or “People won’t like what I have to offer”? If so, reframing your internal dialogue to reflect a more positive outlook can have tangible effects. For instance, one study found that students who recited a positive affirmation to themselves before giving a speech experienced less performance anxiety than those who didn’t.

Try to be realistic

Accept the possibility that there may be both good and not-so-good parts of your public speaking or public appearances and that this is okay. Try to avoid the common cognitive distortion of black-and-white thinking, which can make you feel nervous or embarrassed and believe that your performance is a complete failure if it's not flawlessly perfect. Remember that stage fright affects most people from time to time, so audiences will generally understand if you have a few shaky moments, make some mistakes, or struggle with maintaining eye contact. By embracing this realistic mindset, you can work on overcoming stage fright and boost your self-confidence.

Adjust your environment as needed

Whenever possible, take advantage of the opportunity to make accommodations to your environment to increase your comfort levels. For example, you may feel more comfortable presenting with the aid of your notes nearby, or you might prefer to have a digital presentation to reinforce your main points and keep you on track. Even minor things like wanting to sit instead of stand, preferring a headset versus a handheld microphone, or having a glass of water nearby can make a difference in your confidence levels, so don’t be afraid to ask. In most cases, the people in charge of making the event run smoothly will be happy to discuss what they can do to help it be a positive experience for both you and the audience.

Try calming exercises

Practicing calming exercises such as deep breathing can reduce anxiety related to stage fright, both in the moment and in the days or weeks before. Research shows that deep breathing can trigger changes in the brain, leading to “increased comfort, relaxation, pleasantness, vigor and alertness, and reduced symptoms of arousal, anxiety, depression, anger, and confusion”. You might try using an app or watching some online videos to learn basic breathing techniques that you can use as needed to avoid or decrease the effects of stage fright.

Get a good rest the night before

Studies show that not getting enough sleep can lead to increased stress levels and may cause you to feel anxious during your performance. If you want to feel calmer going into your presentation and work on conquering stage fright, getting a good night's sleep beforehand can help. That said, relaxing enough to fall asleep when you're worried about going on stage the next day can be difficult. In this case, consider trying some classic sleep-inducing techniques such as a warm shower before bed, limiting caffeine intake in the evening, avoiding too much screen time at night, and practicing relaxation exercises like progressive muscle relaxation to overcome performance anxiety.

When stage fright escalates

The tips listed above may be useful to anyone who is experiencing nervousness or anxiety about speaking or performing in front of others. That said, experiencing it in an extreme or severe form may be a sign of an anxiety disorder. Social anxiety in particular could be at play. It’s a clinical mental health disorder that’s more than just shyness or the nervousness that many of us feel from time to time in social situations. In fact, the effects of excess adrenaline can be distressing and even debilitating. Symptoms may include:

• A rapidly beating heart
• Excessive sweating
• A rigid body posture
• A tight throat
• Speaking in a soft voice
• Difficulty thinking clearly 
• Difficulty making eye contact with others

These symptoms can be so intense in some individuals that they may end up avoiding situations where they have to interact with or speak in front of others at all. This avoidance can lead to negative impacts on their job and careers, their social relationships, or their personal passions or goals.

How therapy can help

Speaking with a therapist is typically the recommended treatment for those with social anxiety. A trained therapist can help you recognize and shift unhealthy thought patterns about yourself and what others may think about you. However, even if you don’t have a mental health condition that’s creating or adding to your sense of stage fright, meeting with a therapist may still be useful. They can assist you in adopting a more realistic perspective on your fears and developing healthier coping mechanisms for situations in which you experience stress or anxiety. 

Research suggests that both in-person and online therapy can offer similar benefits for people in many different situations. If you’d feel more comfortable with virtual therapy or if it would be more available to you, you might try a platform like BetterHelp. You can fill out a brief questionnaire and get matched with a licensed therapist who fits your needs and preferences. You can then meet with them via phone, video call, and/or online chat to discuss and learn to manage the challenges you may be facing.

Experiencing some level of stage fright before giving a presentation or performance in front of a crowd is normal. The techniques on this list can help you better manage these feelings and address any self-doubt or issues with self-esteem that may arise. If you're concerned that you may have an anxiety disorder that's making situations like these prohibitively difficult or distressing, it may be helpful to speak with a therapist about it.

How can you get over stage fright?

For people wondering how to overcome stage fright when performing or speaking in front of a group, the following tips may help:

• Take plenty of time to review your notes or other preparation materials beforehand
• Ensure you get plenty of rest the night before the performance
• Rehearse the presentation, dance, or performance ahead of time in front of someone you trust, like a best friend, family, or significant other
• Reflect on the negative thoughts you’re having about the event and look for ways to challenge them
• Imagine what success might look like, using visualization and affirmations to put yourself into a more positive state of mind
• Develop a game plan for responding to unexpected issues during the event
• Smile, make eye contact, and keep an upright posture, which may help you connect better with your audience
• Make changes to your environment to make the performance more comfortable, if possible 
• Recognize that stage fright can be natural and be patient with yourself on your journey to overcoming it

Techniques like these may be helpful for managing and reducing stage fright. If you are in need of extra support, speaking to a licensed therapist may also be worth considering. 

Is it OK to have stage fear?

Having stage fright is often natural, and there is nothing wrong with feeling anxious before performing in front of an audience. However, if stage fright is interfering with your ability to work, interact with others, or otherwise live your life, then it may be a sign of an underlying anxiety disorder. 

Why am I scared on stage?

Various factors may cause people to experience stage fright or performance anxiety, including:

• Fear of negative judgment from others
• Perfectionistic tendencies
• High stakes (as in the case of work- or school-related performances)
• Unpleasant childhood experiences
• Fear of the unknown, which can be natural when performing in front of an audience
• Challenges with self-esteem

In addition, certain mental illnesses, like generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety can also lead to feelings of fear about performing in front of others. 

Is stage fear permanent?

Although stage fright can be distressing, it is often possible to recover from it through strategies like:

• Therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Treatment of any underlying mental illnesses, such as social phobia or panic disorder
• Medication, if needed
• Mindfulness practices, like meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises
• Lifestyle changes, like reducing caffeine intake, practicing good sleep hygiene, and getting plenty of exercise
• Practicing performing in front of others to get more familiar with it

That said, what works for one person may not work for everyone. 

How do I reset my brain from anxiety?

When you’re feeling anxious due to stage fright—for example, right before giving a big speech—several strategies may help you calm your mind and put yourself in a more relaxed state. These can include:

• Practice mindfulness to put your focus back on the present moment, including what you can feel, see, touch, and hear
• Try to notice the emotions you’re feeling without passing judgment on them, which may help you gain some distance from the anxiety
• Slow your breath using exercises like box breathing, which may help calm your nervous system
• Consider finding a way to distract yourself, such as watching a video or reading a book

In addition to these techniques, taking a moment to challenge the anxious thoughts you’re having may also be helpful. For example, if you keep finding yourself thinking, “This is going to be terrible,” you might try replacing that thought with something like, “What proof do I have that this will go badly? Isn’t it possible that it will go better than I’m expecting?”

• Tips To Get Over A Fear Of Public Speaking Medically reviewed by Nikki Ciletti , M.Ed, LPC
• Stage Fright
• Relationships and Relations

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by TED Masterclass Team • September 02, 2021

Stage fright is a phenomenon that many people deal with, and for plenty of folks, it’s something that feels scarier than death. Also known as performance anxiety, stage fright is the fear of performing in front of an audience.

You might be scared of messing up or making a fool of yourself, and the fear can manifest in real life — you sweat, tremble, or feel a sudden onset of stress. You might try putting off public speaking as much as possible: by making up white lies to avoid the stage (“I’m sick!”) or somehow, dodging most (if not all) opportunities for it.

But running away from it isn’t always a possibility. Whether work requires you to speak publicly, or a dear friend asks you to say a few words at their wedding, you’ll probably find yourself in the spotlight on one occasion or another. While bolting might be your first instinct, it isn’t the only or best solution. Fortunately, you can fight stage fright face-to-face . It will be a challenging process, but practice is key to adapting to your fears. At the very least, you will be able to shrink the fear into something less daunting.

The science of stage fright

There is a science behind stage fright, as public speaking can activate our fight-or-flight response. In order to shed the fear we associate with speaking publicly, we must outsmart our primitive response to danger. In short, we must adapt to it — and one way to do this is to practice. Practice your speech in front of anyone who is willing to listen, be it a two-legged or four-legged friend. As long as you are pushing yourself to rehearse regularly, your stress response will lessen over time.

Practicing your speech or your presentation before the big moment also serves as reassurance in and of itself. With practice (and lots of it), you’ll know that messing up your speech is less likely to occur. And if a mishap does take place, you’ll know you were as prepared as you could be, and that you put your best foot forward.

Practices to overcome the fear of public speaking

Below are four habits to upstage your fear of public speaking:

1. Prepare before you practice

If practicing is the muscle you must flex to tackle stage fright, preparation is the strategy. Proper preparation involves knowing what you’re going to say, even in the simplest of terms. Write down your speech or presentation notes, even if it’s just a couple of bullet points!

2. Get feedback

While there’s a reason why you were asked to speak publicly (you’re worthy!), it might boost your bravery if you get someone else's opinion on your speech.

Ask a trusted friend, family member, or workmate, who is willing to listen sincerely and offer their constructive opinions. They might be able to point out blindspots in your talking points, see the strengths in your speech that you can build upon, or simply, make sense of what you want to say and tell you if it’s understandable. Getting high-quality feedback can elevate your presentation and boost your confidence in the process.

3. Reframe the situation

While it may be impossible to avoid stage fright (or the speech that lies ahead), reframing the situation will allow you to approach the impending deadline with less dread and more positivity. For instance, think of every speech as an opportunity to improve your public speaking skills, regardless of your experience level. Look for your point of motivation and work towards it.

Alternatively, it might work to accept that fear is part of public speaking — and once you accept it, you might be able to move past it and focus your attention on more productive things.

When the time arrives and you’re ready to step onto the stage, the fear might still be present — and that’s okay! You’ve practiced and honed your speech, so the only thing to do now is to remember to breathe. One way to do this is to raise both arms overhead and breathe slowly and deeply.

Breathing triggers your relaxation response, signaling to your body that things are okay and you will be okay, too. Since stage fright is strongest right before a presentation, take the last minute to breathe and breathe some more. You’ll kill it!

Although it may be impossible to overcome stage fright altogether, with practice and the right frame of mind, it’s possible to set it aside and deliver a well-crafted and memorable speech or presentation..

Ready to fight your stage fright? Check out TED Masterclass for more information. There, you’ll find more on how to master the art of public speaking.

© 2024 TED Conferences, LLC. All rights reserved. Please note that the TED Talks Usage policy does not apply to this content and is not subject to our creative commons license.

Techniques to Overcome Stage Fright Essay (Critical Writing)

Introduction, useful strategies/techniques to cope with stage fright.

Presenting a public presentation has been known to be an act that most people fear. This is true whether the presentation involves acting, singing, playing an instrument and even dancing (Carlson, n.d.).

According to Burgis, based on a survey conducted in 2005 indicated that stage fright is the most highly rated fear among Americans. The results of this study indicate 15% of employed people are afraid of oral communication within the organization (2010). The fear triggers physical reactions that cause the heart rate to increase, sweaty palms and/or tension in the muscles (Carlson, n.d.).

Although some individuals have the natural ability to speak in public with minimal strain, the majority of individuals face considerable difficulty when making a public oral presentation (Burgis, 2010). Given that successfully making a public presentation is very crucial this paper will highlight some tips that may be of use in alleviating the tension associated with getting the messages across effectively with minimal strain.

One essential tip in improving presentation skills and reducing stage fright is practice. Stage fright is based on a fear of how the audience will judge the presentation or even the individual making the presentation (Burgis, 2010). It has been reported that practicing alone a few minutes at a time can help the presenter gain confidence while on stage. It may also be necessary to memorize portions such as the opening and closing statements of the presentation.

Another essential tip in combating stage fright is visualization. This requires the speaker to use their imagination and picture the presentation the being carried out without any problems.

In addition to this it may help to imagine how the positive feedback after the presentation will feel, e.g. the feeling of getting the promotion or the customer account, etc. The presenter may want to try and keep imagining this experience from the time they learn that they are expected to make the presentation up to just moments before the actual event (Burgis, 2010).

Given that fear is associated with the mind some author’s indicate that it may be useful in addition to imagination to be familiar with the venue where possible (Carlson, n.d.). A last minute hitch like a faulty microphone or laptop projector may be all it takes to get you unhinged. Arriving a few moments early to make sure all you require is in place and working is useful in alleviating mental stress associated with stage fright.

It is also essential to know the material and focus on a few key points to make an effective presentation (Burgis, 2010) (Widener, 2000). It has been reported that audience often want to get a few key points from the speaker and mountains of facts may ultimately work against you rather than for you. In this regard it helps to know a little about your audience so as to focus on what will be important to them. It will also help the speaker to answer questions because the presentation will have limited the scope.

In addition to that the speaker may want to use the tension to their advantage and avoid focusing on negative aspects that increase tension. Burgis mentions that it is not necessary for the speaker to apologize for nervousness as this may draw the audience attention away from the speech (2010).

Taking long deep breaths will help ease the natural anxiety and allow one to focus on the task at hand (Widener, 2000). Also of benefit to the speaker is the use of positive eye contact and body language. The speaker should avoid staring, looking at the ceiling or floor.

Another important factor highlights the importance of adequate rest prior to the presentation and adequate water (Carlson, n.d.). Some author’s have mentioned that a joke or informal remark when opening helps relax the audience and the speaker as well (Widener, 2000). However, this should be applied with caution because if it doesn’t make the desired impact it may act as a negative catalyst. Lastly, where the need arises it may be wise to use resources such as a speech coach to improve on communication skills.

In a paper on strategies to relieve stage fright by Janet Hoang, the discussion presented provides the reader with information of how to overcome anxiety associated with oral presentations. The paper introduces the issue of anxiety and provides some personal tips used by Janet in overcoming tension.

The key factor she identified as the main cause for her problems with stage fright was attributable to inadequate preparation. Another student, Andrea Babic, also attests to the importance of adequate preparation. In addition, she mentions use of cue cards, appropriate eye contact, body language and knowing the needs of the audience as important to an oral presentation.

Burgis, N. (2010). Presentations Training: Stage Fright and Business Presentation Seminars . Web.

Carlson, E. (n.d.). Strategies for Coping with Stage Fright. Web.

Widener, C. (2000). Top 7 Practical tips fro Overcoming Stage Fright. Web.

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Stage fright: its experience as a problem and coping with it

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health

Purpose and method This questionnaire survey of 190 university music students assessed negative feelings of music performance anxiety (MPA) before performing, the experience of stage fright as a problem, and how closely they are associated with each other. The study further investigated whether the experience of stage fright as a problem and negative feelings of MPA predict the coping behavior of the music students. Rarely addressed coping issues were assessed, i.e., self-perceived effectiveness of different coping strategies, knowledge of possible risks and acceptance of substance-based coping strategies, and need for more support. Results The results show that one-third of the students experienced stage fright as a problem and that this was only moderately correlated with negative feelings of MPA. The experience of stage fright as a problem significantly predicted the frequency of use and the acceptance of medication as a coping strategy. Breathing exercises and self-control techniques were rated as effective as medication. Finally, students expressed a strong need to receive more support (65%) and more information (84%) concerning stage fright. Conclusion Stage fright was experienced as a problem and perceived as having negative career consequences by a considerable percentage of the surveyed students. In addition to a desire for more help and support, the students expressed an openness and willingness to seriously discuss and address the topic of stage fright. This provides a necessary and promising basis for optimal career preparation and, hence, an opportunity to prevent occupational problems in professional musicians.

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This research asks whether music students would benefit if Musicians Performance Anxiety (MPA) and coping strategies were included in the education syllabus. To assess the demand for MPA education within a music program, music students from three tertiary institutes were asked about their experience with MPA via an online questionnaire. Furthermore, case studies were done via one on one interviews where participants were encouraged to discuss their experiences with MPA in greater detail. A significant amount of music students suffer from medium to severe MPA and have considered giving up their dream job because their anxiety is so debilitating. It is hoped this research will open a dialogue about MPA within tertiary music institutions and provide possible coping strategies for those students that struggle with the condition.

Okan Cem Çırakoğlu

In the present research, the Performance Anxiety Scale for Music Students (PASMS) was developed in three successive studies. In Study 1, the factor structure of PASMS was explored and three components were found: fear of stage (FES), avoidance (AVD) and symptoms (SMP). The internal consistency of the subscales of PASMS, which consisted of 27 items, varied between 0.89 and 0.91. The internal consistency for the whole scale was found to be 0.95. The correlations among PASMS and other anxiety-related measures were significant and in the expected direction, indicating that the scale has convergent validity. The construct validity of the scale was assessed in Study 2 by confirmatory factor analysis. After several revisions, the final tested model achieved acceptable fits. In Study 3, the 14-day test-retest reliability of the final 24-item version of PASMS was tested and found to be extremely high (0.95). In all three studies, the whole scale and subscale scores of females were significantly higher than for males.

Psychology of Music

Music performance anxiety (MPA) is a prevalent problem for musicians. MPA has been conceptualized as a type of social anxiety and also as a discrete focal anxiety with normal functioning outside of specific music performance situations. In an effort to examine unique and overlapping components of MPA and social anxiety, 130 professional musicians were assessed concerning self-reported MPA in three different musical performance settings (solo, group, and practice) using the Performance Anxiety Questionnaire and also completed measures of general social anxiety. Results showed that the expression of MPA varies by performance setting, with the most anxiety reported during solo performances. Regression models demonstrated that general measures of social anxiety increasingly predicted MPA from practice, to group, to solo settings, with fear of negative evaluation uniquely predicting anxiety in all three contexts. These results highlight fear of negative evaluation as a core component of ...

Dianna T Kenny

Kenny, D.T. (2011). Prevention and pedagogy (Chapter 10, pp. 285-299). In D.T. Kenny (2011). The Psychology of Music Performance Anxiety. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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How to Overcome Stage Fear: Essay With Tips

Public speaking and performing are inevitable for people who want to share their experience, knowledge, and ideas with others. But not everyone has enough confidence and self-control to go on stage without fear. Even professional artists and speakers have trouble with stage fright. Dealing with this fear is difficult, but it becomes easier when you approach it as any other multi-step process. The first thing to do is accept the fear. You should understand that this fear is a normal part of your life, and you should not be ashamed of what you feel. Another effective way to overcome stage fear is to become distracted. Before going on stage, talk to your friends, call your parents, or watch an episode of your favorite TV series. Focus on something else but your anxiety, and your heartbeat will be back to normal. Your fear may come from a lack of confidence. The best way to deal with it is thorough preparation. You have to provide in-depth research on your topic and be ready to answer unexpected questions. If you’re going to perform, then you should take into consideration all the unexpected situations (such as a broken mic or power outage) and get ready for them. You’ll become more confident about what you are going to do, and your fear will disappear. One more alternative way to deal with stage fright is to learn a breathing technique. This doesn’t mean that you have to become a yogi, as many professionals use these techniques regularly to calm down: doctors, sportsmen, actors, etc. Among the most popular breathing techniques are equal breathing, abdominal breathing, and 4-7-8 breathing. They will help you to relax and reduce the influence of your fear on the nervous system. The next method to overcome your stage fright works for a wide range of daily situations. People frequently feel nervous about the things that they are unable to change, such as the weather or traffic. When it comes to public speaking, you can change your level of confidence, skills, and readiness. However, you will not be able to change the way your audience perceives you. They might not like your topic, tone of voice, or point of view. The only thing you can do is imagine the worst scenario. You are not going to die from one unsuccessful speech or performance, and you will not lose your job. The worst thing that can happen is that your listeners may not like your presentation. But your life does not depend on your success. This recognition will help you deal with the fear of the stage. The last, but no less important, path to your confidence is regular practice. You may not overcome your fear, but you will get used to it, at least. In fact, the regularity of your performances will not completely eliminate the fear and negative emotions you feel. But you may try to turn your fear into another strong emotion: excitement or enthusiasm. These feelings will be helpful and make you a more passionate speaker. Not only beginners have stage fright, but also skilled artists. You may overcome or tolerate it using various methods: accepting it, distracting yourself, growing your self-confidence, learning breathing techniques, gaining humility, and practicing regularly.

How-to essays (or process essays) aren’t frequently assigned to students. But their content helps students to deal with various life situations. Our essay on stage fear describes six effective ways to overcome stage fright and become a more confident public speaker. You can use all of them or pick the most attractive techniques and apply them in practice.

If you want to learn how to overcome stage fear, our essay may be the first step on your path to persuasive and stress-free public speaking. On our blog, you can take a look at many other interesting samples and guides. You’re welcome to read them and even borrow some ideas, but we kindly ask you not to copy our texts. It will be considered plagiarism.

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Stage Fright

One simple trick to calm stage fright, most people hate public speaking. this tip can help calm their nerves..

Posted October 4, 2023 | Reviewed by Gary Drevitch

• What Is Stage Fright
• Find a therapist to overcome stage fright

What causes your body to jump into an adrenaline response? Snakes, spiders, and other creepy crawly things do the trick for most of us. Also, presumably, some huge apex predators like lions, tigers, and bears, if you are ever unfortunate enough to get chased by one in the wild.

For almost all of us, having to stand up in front of a crowd and give a speech also causes our fight, flight, or freeze response to kick in. For me—and don’t hate me for this—I’ve been speaking long enough that I don’t get very nervous at all unless it has been a long time since I last spoke, or there’s something particularly challenging about the topic or the audience.

Instead, I save my nerves for two kinds of performance that I’ve been trying to master for many years: singing solos and playing the classic guitar. I was forcefully reminded of my adrenaline response recently when I was part of a guitar recital.

It was a small crowd, maybe 30 people, and a very supportive and friendly crowd to boot—all friends and family. I had been doing a lot of work on redefining and channeling my adrenaline, so imagine my satisfaction when I sat down to play and felt reasonably calm. I loved the music I was playing—etudes by Leo Brouwer—and I was excited to play the pieces for these smiling faces.

But halfway through the first piece, my right hand started shaking such that I couldn’t hit the notes accurately. I glared at my right hand: Why was it interfering with the music? Do your job, RH —and it temporarily subsided. But it came up again in the next piece.

I survived, and the crowd was kind. However, I was frustrated and determined to continue to work on the issue until my right hand could be rock solid. I had been focusing on meditative breathing, visualization , and practice, the three most reliable ways to keep adrenaline under control. But it seems like the time (before the next recital) to try some of the more off-beat ways of soothing the adrenaline response.

And as if by magic, I ran across a recent study that introduced a new way to calm one's nerves, one that I hadn’t seen before. So here is that new way to help with adrenaline and four other ways besides for good measure. I hope at least one of these helps you—and me.

1. Look at images of people in secure, loving relationships with each other. Images of mothers and children, smiling, safe, and secure, apparently will immediately start soothing your nerves. They don’t have to be pictures of anyone you know; it’s the loving connection that is the point. The safety of the tribe is so important to us that any picture that suggests that sort of thing helps us feel better.

OK, what are some other offbeat (and easy) ways to reduce the adrenaline response?

2. Wash the dishes. Do this mindfully , and the soothing, repetitive nature of scrubbing the plates and glasses with warm, soapy water can be very calming.

3. Be kind. Performing small acts of kindness helps you relax and feel better. I have seen speakers sometimes before their speeches busy themselves with helping out audience members in simple, real ways, like helping someone to a seat or giving them a program or the like. Great idea. The distraction probably helps, too. But the main effect comes from receiving the warm vibe of gratitude .

4. Get modest exercise . This one works well if your stage fright shows up as the jitters or excess nervous energy. Take a brisk walk or do some yoga-inspired exercise routine. You don’t want to exhaust yourself, just make yourself a little tired.

5. Eat fermented, probiotic foods . Yogurt and sourdough bread, some kinds of cheese—all of these are good for lessening anxiety . Who said dealing with nerves had to be hard? Prebiotic foods (which are different) like asparagus, leeks, and onions help, too. Eat your veggies.

Before my next recital, I’m going to get up, go for a morning walk, have some bread and cheese and leeks with my green tea, clean up the dishes, and scan the Internet for pictures of happy babies with their parents, before knocking on my infirm neighbor’s door and offering to take out her trash for her. What’s your routine going to be?

Nick Morgan, Ph.D. , is president of Public Words Inc., a communications consulting company, and the author of books including Can You Hear Me?: How to Connect with People in a Virtual World.

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Readers share tales of stage fright

Does the spotlight make you freeze, fumble and forget what you were going to say? You're not alone. In response to an MSNBC.com story on the biology of stage fright, readers shared stories about their own fears of being in the limelight — as well as tips that helped them get through it.

"I began to play and sing a Linda Ronstadt song, when all of a sudden I just stopped," writes Leigh McClure of Newport, Vt., about her first time playing guitar onstage.  "Mortified, I just started laughing, and told my audience I had stage fright. It wasn't a lot of people, but they were great. They cheered me on, saying, 'Keep going, keep going!' Even though I was embarrassed, their support and kindness gave me the courage to plow on and finish the song."

Keep reading for more responses.

I had to give a science report orally in the 8th grade and was so scared I could not speak. My wise teacher told me to take a seat and try later. She also gave me wonderful advice: Speak in public at every opportunity. I took her advice; before I graduated high school, public speaking was one of the most enjoyable things I did. I still speak at every opportunity and love it. — Ralph, Thomasville, Ga.

My instructor in "Public Speaking" at the University of Tennessee once said to me, "You're the worst speaker I have ever heard." Terrified, I found it difficult to continue with the class, but it was a requirement for my degree. Fortunately, I read somewhere that the Indians developed their courage by running and shouting. So, on my way to class, I would run and shout. That helped. Today I am a Toastmaster and I earn my living by serving as a workshop leader. — Lynn, Oklahoma City

After four years of college I only needed a speech class to graduate with a BS in psychology. I quit rather than take speech which of course required public speaking. A few years later I went back and got a degree in engineering instead. — Anonymous

The first time I went up on stage to do stand-up, I was so nervous my legs buckled and I fell to one knee. People that I hadn't expected were there. An agent — even family had flown in. I sat there for a minute with my heart pounding thinking, 'What am I gonna do? Maybe I should just run and say I was sick.' Then I remembered I had a joke about my uncle (who had flown in). I knew he would enjoy hearing it — despite his rough personality. I stood up like I had been praying, crossed myself and said that my uncle was in the audience and I was going to tell some jokes about him being in the mob. So I was just getting my last prayer in to god in case I got whacked. And went on. I guess believing in the material, having the intention to do in and putting my focus out in the audience helped me get to my feet. — Vincent, Los Angeles

I was at my senior graduating Mass. I was lined up with my class to enter the church when the priest came up to me and asked me to introduce the school administration to the congregation. I wanted to vomit. The whole time in Mass I could only concentrate on how nervous I was. I got up and began to introduce them and all of a sudden I forgot the name of our principal. Panic took over and I froze like an iceberg. My fellow classmates helped me out and screamed his name. — Marie, Woodstock, Ga.

When I go on stage to sing, I've found if I look into someone eyes while performing, I stand of good chance of forgetting lines to the song. Although I've gotten better of the years, it has taken me years to be OK on stage. — Tommy, Las Vegas

I have no idea how much my stage fright has cost me. It really didn't appear until I was a junior in college. By the time I was a senior, it had completely taken over my performing life. I lost the principal chair in orchestra, wind ensemble, band. I had to get drunk just to get on stage at my senior recital. It completely debilitated me. And because of it, I decided not to continue and get my master's degree in music performance. I was an excellent French horn player, God knows how far I could've gone, but I'll never know now. I stopped playing all together a few years after graduating. I truly miss my horn and my music, but even today thinking about playing in front of people makes my heart skip a beat. What hurts the worst is that I'll never know how far I could have gone in the music world. That is a regret I will take to my grave — but I have no one to blame but myself. — Lori, Lawrence, Mass.

I was a young child of nine and was standing in front of a group of women and children, all familiar to me. I was to play my harmonica for a solo accompanied by my school teacher. She whispered to me not to be afraid just before I started to play. I had not been afraid before that, but was a little nervous because of her caution. Since then I have been nervous about talking in front of people. — Ellen

My first encounter with fear came in a grade school reading circle when I hyperventilated and sputtered out an incomprehensible stream of words. The experience repeated itself over and over: in Little League batter's boxes, during high school driver's ed and when the teenage girl of my dreams stood waiting for me — on each occasion I shook so hard that I couldn't perform. Thinking that I was just shy and feeling woefully inadequate I headed off to the Army to make myself worthy of my imaginary lady in waiting. When I came back to find that she had married, the painful lesson inspired me to soldier on while occasionally choking in front of audiences and making a fool out of myself. When I finally went to a psychiatrist to admit that I had a problem, he said: "You have a severe case of performance anxiety and if you had seen a mental health counselor years ago you could have spared yourself a lot of needless suffering." For the longest time I thought that I was just a wimp and the only one who suffered from social anxiety. — James, Highlands Ranch, Colo.

I was working for a local manufacturing company back in the 80's. I had been in manufacturing management for five years, but had never really been required to address a large group before. I was asked by my boss to address the employees during the United Way Fund Drive. It was a fairly big event with the corporate president, our company president, and several others from upper management in attendance. I remember thinking to myself "How hard can this be? Just get up there and be yourself." Well, I found out rather quickly that it could be quite challenging, painful and embarrassing. I remember approaching the lectern to give my speech when my legs gave out. It's a good thing there was a lectern there or I would have fallen on my face. I gave my presentation holding myself up by my elbows. To this day I have no idea what I said or how long I spoke. I do remember the glazed eyes and the questioning expressions on the faces in the audience. I have since joined Toastmasters and have been dealing effectively with this fear ever since. — Jeffery, Stevens Point, Wis.

At Pacific Bell I took a class in Effective Presentations to prepare myself to give a speech in San Diego in front of engineers. What I had on the first line of my card so I could get my motor going was "hello, my name is Bob W------ and the rest was easy. — Bob, Danville, Calif.

In my mid-forties, I entered to law school. My parents were very proud of my decision. My father often told me as much. Right before my second year of school began, my father passed away and I spoke at his funeral. As I took my place at the podium and looked down at the speech I wrote, I was so overcome with emotion that I couldn't even see what I had written. I grew up speaking in front of groups and congregations and this had never happened to me before. I stood there for a moment and remembered that my father was really proud of me and loved me, closed my leather notecase and "winged" it. Later, at the repast, everyone, including the minister, told me how wonderful my speech was. — Karla,  Silver Spring, Md.