Public speaking is public service

Public speaking is public service. When you’re nervous to do it, you’ve forgotten what you’re doing.

We’ve all had to sit through a cringeworthy talk, sermon, presentation, town hall meeting, or public address. Probably all five. The reason public speaking can be so cringey is because the speakers forget that public speaking is public service. When someone’s main aim is to sound smart, clever, or powerful, that’s hard to listen to.

Many are afraid to speak in front of people. I imagine this is mostly because they’re worried they will stutter and look stupid. These fears don’t come from a service-focused mindset. Of course, there are some speaking jitters that only go away with time (or maybe never), but the pit-in-your-stomach fear of looking stupid can be eliminated if you accept the fact that what you’re doing is public service. It’s closer to driving a bus than it is to shredding a guitar solo.

If you have a talk coming up, think of your audience. Don’t think of how you will look, or how you will sound. Instead, think of what your audience’s faces will look like, how they will react, and how you can keep them interested. Audiences will only remember one thing from your talk (if you do it really well).

What do you want that one thing to be?