{"id":49,"date":"2022-02-10T15:10:13","date_gmt":"2022-02-10T15:10:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/speechcomm\/chapter\/learning-confidence\/"},"modified":"2026-07-23T17:58:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T17:58:12","slug":"learning-confidence","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/speechcomm\/chapter\/learning-confidence\/","title":{"raw":"2.3 Managing PSA","rendered":"2.3 Managing PSA"},"content":{"raw":"
\r\n

2.3 Managing PSA<\/h2>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_690\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]\"Multiracial Multiracial students and an instructor celebrating during a collaborative activity. Photograph by Kampus Production via Pexels.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nBecause the intensity of PSA varies across individuals and contexts, effective reduction begins with recognizing one\u2019s personal source of apprehension. Strategies such as [pb_glossary id=\"357\"]cognitive restructuring[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> and deliberate practice can help individuals reframe their fears and gradually build confidence in public speaking.\r\n\r\nA speaker\u2019s nervousness is linked to his or her level of preparation. The best, most consistent and direct way to minimize the level of nervousness you feel is through effective preparation. This is always true. More practice results in less nervousness.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nAll types of preparation and practice yield benefits, but there is a significant difference between merely helpful practice and sufficient practice, or \u201cknowing what you are talking about,\u201d and \u201cknowing what you are going to say.\u201d While thinking about your presentation can be helpful, that sort of preparation will not give you a sense of what you are actually going to say. Athletes know that the best practices will re-create game conditions and test their abilities to perform in real-life scenarios. Sufficient practice for public speaking re-creates those real-life scenarios.\r\n\r\nLet\u2019s look at a few elements of effective practice.\r\n

Before the Speech<\/h3>\r\n

Visualize Success<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\r\nAthletes and performers are often coached to visualize what they are trying to do as a way of performing correctly. Football and basketball players must envision how each member of the team will move during a particular play because team success depends on speedy and flawless coordination among individuals. Dancers, body builders, and people practicing yoga are trained to visualize the form and positioning of their bodies as they execute their moves. Engaging the imagination in this way can improve performance.\r\n\r\nSpeakers, too, should [pb_glossary id=\"2053\"]visualize success<\/strong>[\/pb_glossary]. As you practice, visualize yourself presenting with confidence to a receptive audience. \u201cSee\u201d your relaxed facial expressions and \u201chear\u201d your confident tone of voice. Imagine yourself moving gracefully, complementing what you say with expressive gestures. Imagine the audience reacting appropriately\u2014nodding appreciatively and giving thoughtful consideration to your points. Imagine the gratification of watching the audience really \u201cget it.\u201d When you can honestly envision yourself performing at this level, you are taking an important step toward achieving that goal.\r\n

Breathe and Release<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\r\nHere, we will discuss a shortened version of the\u00a0\u201c[pb_glossary id=\"2054\"]breathe and release[\/pb_glossary]\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0technique. This relaxation technique could be useful for nervous speakers\u2014especially those who are concerned with the physiological manifestations of nervousness, such as shaky hands or knees.\r\n\r\nThe key to \u201cbreathe and release\u201d is to understand that when nervous tension results in minor trembling, the effort of trying to keep one\u2019s hands from shaking contributes to the whole situation\u2014that is, trying to stop literally makes the problem worse! Therefore, the best approach is through relaxation.\r\n

How to Breathe and Release<\/em><\/h4>\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Imagine the nervousness within your body.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Imagine the energy bubbling inside you, like boiling water.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Draw that energy to a high point within your body through a deep, cleansing breath.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Imagine this cleansing breath like a vacuum, inhaling all of the bubbling liquid.<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. Release the energy by deliberately relaxing your upper body, all the way from your fingertips to your shoulder blades.<\/li>\r\n \t
  6. Imagine how keeping any part of your upper extremities tense would result in a \u201ckink\u201d in the release valve, and so complete relaxation is the key to success.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    Minimize What You Memorize<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\r\nAnother important hint for speech preparation is to avoid writing an entirely scripted version of the presentation. A speech outline is not a monologue or manuscript; it is a guideline and should be used as a roadmap for your speech.\r\n\r\nWhen you really know your topic, you can talk about it naturally\u2014without memorizing every single word. That\u2019s the goal for a good presentation: to understand your material so well that you can explain it in your own words.\r\n\r\nThink about how this helps when you\u2019re speaking in front of a group. Instead of worrying about exact phrasing, you can focus on keeping the flow going and paying attention to your audience. This makes your delivery sound more genuine and gives you the flexibility to respond to questions or reactions on the spot.\r\n

    Beware of Reading<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\r\nIf you\u2019re focused only on reading a script word-for-word, you can\u2019t really pay attention to your audience or engage with them. <\/strong>Reading straight from a script can also affect how you sound. When you read out loud, your voice often becomes flat or takes on a \u201creading tone.\u201d That tone can feel boring and make it easy for your audience to tune out.\r\n\r\nTip:<\/strong> Instead of memorizing every word, outline your main points and practice explaining them in your own words. This way, you\u2019ll sound more natural and can easily adjust if someone asks a question or looks confused.\r\n

    Practice Out Loud<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\r\nRemember the very first time you tried to do anything \u2013 a game, a sport, an activity, anything at all. How good were you out of the gate? Perhaps you had talent or were gifted with a \u201cfeel\u201d for what you were doing. But even then, didn\u2019t you get better with more experience? Nobody does anything the very best on their very first attempt, and everyone\u2014even the most talented among us\u2014benefits from effective practice.\r\n\r\nIn this way, speaking in public is no different from any other activity. To maximize the chance that your presentation will come out smooth and polished, you will need to hear it all the way through. By practicing out loud, from the beginning to the ending, you will be able to listen to your whole speech and properly gauge the flow of your entire presentation.\r\n\r\nAdditionally, without at least one complete out-loud practice, there will be no way to accurately estimate the length of your speech, and your preparation will remain insufficient.\r\n\r\nThe out-loud \u201cdress rehearsal\u201d is the single most important element of your preparation. Without it, you will be delivering your presentation in full for the first time when it counts the most. Putting yourself at that sort of disadvantage is not wise and is easily avoided.\r\n\r\nPrepare for your public presentation by speaking and listening to yourself, rather than by writing, editing, and rewriting. Remember that when you are having a conversation, you never use the same sort of language and syntax as you do when you are writing a formal paper. Practice with the goal of becoming conversational in your topic, not fluent with a script.\r\n

    Customize Your Practice<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\r\nDepending on your personal level of PSA, you may choose to implement techniques previously mentioned in different ways. Take a moment to reflect on what triggers your PSA. Do you dislike the feeling of being the center of attention? Are you more concerned with who is in the audience and what they might think of you? Or are you worried about \u201cfreezing\u201d in front of the audience and forgetting what you wanted to say?\r\n\r\nWrite some of these concerns down and put them into a priority order. If you are worried about a particular issue or problem, how might you prepare to minimize the chance of that issue arising?\r\n\r\nNow, consider your current method of preparation. Remember that dealing with PSA often requires breaking a mental habit. It is a good idea to change what you have done previously. Be deliberate. Observe what works for your situation.\r\n\r\nAs stated earlier, everyone deals with PSA most effectively through increased self-awareness and a willingness to complete each of the steps in the entire process. After you acknowledge your reality, then take the steps necessary to overcome apprehension.\r\n\r\nAfter reading about the ways to overcome the debilitating impact of PSA, experiment and see what works best for you. Do not continue to prepare in the same way that you did in the past. Speak more; write and revise less. Be sure to practice out loud at least once during your preparation to prepare yourself sufficiently. Reflect on your personal concerns and try Cognitive Restructuring to reframe them. Take your time. Do the work. Have confidence that your preparation will yield positive results.\r\n

    During the Speech<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nDon\u2019t rush your start. Make sure you have everything set up the way you need it to be, including visual aids. Get the first thought in your mind of what you are going to say, take a quiet breath, swallow, and then start talking.\r\n\r\nIf you make a mistake, do not bring attention to it and GET OVER IT!<\/em> <\/strong>Be able to laugh and have a sense of humor. For those of you that play sports, think of it this way. If you make a mistake in a game and cost your team a point, if you dwell on it, what happens? You tend to make another mistake. You psyche yourself out. Same thing happens with public speaking. Don\u2019t dwell on little mishaps . . .\u00a0 just laugh it off and keep going. Remember, public speaking is not about perfection, it is about making a connection with the audience, so they want to listen to what you have to say.\r\n\r\nPlease watch the short interview with Will Smith discussing his perspective on anxiety.\r\n\r\n