As a child, I was a timid soul. The mere thought of speaking in front of others sent shivers down my spine. My heart would race as I worried about what others might think.
The Shiest student of the year
Growing up, my shyness was so pronounced that in my sixth-form year, I was voted the shiest student of the year. Being introverted and shy, I was petrified of social interactions. Speaking with confidence was a distant dream, something that seemed unattainable to me.
Confronting my fear of public speaking
Rewind to my days at medical school, where I was the quiet one in class. My tutors would often encourage me to contribute more during group discussions. But it wasn’t until my second year of university when I was part of a peer mentoring group, that I truly faced my fear of public speaking.
We were asked to give a talk in a lecture theatre filled with over 400 students, with little notice. It was a daunting and overwhelming experience. I didn’t know what to say and my words stumbled out of my mouth. Walking away from that embarrassment, I made a promise to myself that I would never let that happen again.
Stepping outside my comfort zone
Like most people, I didn’t know how to speak on stage. After that one bad experience, I could have avoided putting myself in similar situations. Instead of letting this haunt me, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and take action. I enrolled in a public speaking course to learn how to prepare, craft, and deliver speeches.
In the past, I focused a lot on what others might think of me and was overly self-conscious, known as the spotlight effect. I found it helpful to stop focusing inward and instead focus outward on the message I was conveying to the audience.
Developing new skills is never easy. Like any other skill, to be good at public speaking, one needs to practice and improve. I took every opportunity to practice by volunteering to present, seeking feedback and analysing great speakers to learn their techniques.
Fast forward a few years, and I’ve conquered my fear of public speaking. It has opened new opportunities such as the thrill of speaking about wellbeing in front of healthcare professionals and managers at conferences.
