You're not that important

Ok, so on episode 04 of the Not Sure Yet Podcast, we talked about public speaking.

It can be nerve racking, intimidating, and overwhelming for some people. But here's a little secret: you're not that important.

Wait, WHAT?

Yep, you don't matter.

Ok, so I've borrowed this from my pal Gaby from a blog she wrote 9 years ago. Let me paraphrase:

"No, my friend. They're not thinking about how you screwed up at your oral presentation or how your shirt was wrinkly that time you went to dinner with your in-laws. In fact, you know what they're thinking about? The time THEY screwed up at their oral presentation."

When she mentioned it on our call the other day, it really struck a chord with me.Maybe not for the same reasons of where her blog originated, but I could relate it to public speaking.

Think about it, when you attend a presentation or a talk, are you constantly looking for flaws in the speaker? Are you judging their every word and movement? Of course not!

You're there because you want to learn something, gain some new knowledge or insight. It's the same with your audience - they're not there to see how perfect or eloquent of a speaker you are, they just want to hear what you have to say.

So next time you feel nervous before a public speaking event, remember this: you're not that important. The focus should always be on your message, not on you.

Keep practising and improving, but never let the fear of judgement hold you back from sharing your thoughts and ideas with the world. Because at the end of the day, what truly matters is the impact that your words have on others. So own your imperfections and embrace them, because they make you who you are - a unique individual with something valuable to share with the world.

Why am I so afraid of public speaking?

When it comes to things like public speaking, I learned to simply not give a f*&k some years ago (I'll reignite that blog post one day again soon).

Don't get me wrong, I still get nervous before going on stage and I think any seasoned presenter, host, singer, actor would say the same. You get used to the feeling of nerves, you find ways to cope with it, but not many get over it completely.

But if you're sitting there wondering why you're afraid of public speaking, ask yourself, “What are you afraid of?” Wearing the wrong clothes? Tripping and falling on stage? Some inappropriate image being shared on the GIANT screen behind you (yep, that's happened to me - listen to the podcast for insight). 

The audience is NOT there to judge you. They're there for the content. They're there for that one tip that they can take away to make their lives better.

So focus on that, not the fear of what could go wrong.

You still don't matter

So back to "you don't matter".

When I read Gaby's article, I read it as a gentle reminder that people are often too busy focusing on themselves to worry about you. And guess what? That's a good thing!

Because as soon as you start worrying about yourself, your thoughts become consumed with self-doubt and fear. But when you shift your focus onto others, whether it be the audience or the content itself, suddenly those fears seem less important.

Your audience isn't going to necessarily remember you - but they may remember that little nugget of advice you gave them, that made a significant difference to their world of work.

So the next time you have to give a presentation, remember this: you're not that important. And that's ok. Because it's not about you, it's about them. That one little shift in perspective can make all the difference in your confidence and delivery.

Embrace imperfection

Public speaking is not about being perfect.

It's about connecting with your audience and delivering a message in an engaging and effective way. And trust me, imperfections can actually make you more relatable and endearing to the audience because, yep, you guessed it, they see that you're human too!

Remember, what you DON'T say on stage, nobody knows - so missing a word, shortening a slide or even forgetting a whole paragraph may feel like the end of the world for you, but in reality, nobody will know!

You are a human being. And guess what? Humans make mistakes. It's part of our nature and it's OKAY. Don't put so much pressure on yourself to be perfect in every moment, especially when speaking in front of an event audience. Allow yourself to make mistakes and learn from them. The audience will appreciate your authenticity and vulnerability more than perfection.

So embrace imperfection and focus on delivering your message with passion and conviction. Whether it's sharing knowledge, inspiring others, or advocating for change - what you have to say matters.

Final thoughts

Public speaking doesn't have to be scary. Shift your focus from yourself to your audience, embrace imperfection, and remember that you're not that important - and that's perfectly ok. So go out there and share your ideas, knowledge and experiences with confidence knowing that it's not about you, it's about the impact you can make on others. So keep going! You've got this!

Now I'm off to practice my own advice because hey

So don't strive for perfection, embrace the imperfections and use them to your advantage.