Knowledge Center: 09/29/19

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Speak With No Fear: Go From A Nervous, Nauseated, And Sweaty Speaker To An Excited, Energized, And Passionate Presenter By Mike Acker (Summary)

Speak With No Fear: Go From A Nervous, Nauseated, And Sweaty Speaker To An Excited, Energized, And Passionate Presenter By Mike Acker
Hardcover Also Available Formats :- Kindle, Audiobook, Paperback

The Main Idea

Does the thought of speaking to a large group (or even a small group) cause you to break out in a sweat? If so, welcome to the human race. Everyone has a fear of public speaking at first. You're not alone.

However, you don't have to stay that way forever. There are 7 strategies you can use to overcome your fear and ultimately become a polished public speaker. It won't happen instantaneously, but if you keep working at it, you will get there.

Whatever your situation currently is, I understand. I used to get sweaty, nervous, and nauseated even to small groups. Now, I have had the chance to speak to 3,000 people at civic engagements, lead leadership workshops, speak to several thousand people at a megachurch, engage audiences of kids and youth, speak at churches of many sizes, and many more events. I promise you that you can do this. You can speak with no fear. Where you are is not where you have to be. Don't wait any longer. One day turns into one week. One week turns into a month, into a year, into a decade, and into a lifetime. Don't let life pass you by while you wrestle with the same old enemy of fear. Do something about it. Take action today. Begin to read. Begin to learn these strategies. Start now. - Mike Acker

Courage is not the absence of fear, but the mastery of it. - Mark Twain

Seven Strategies To Master Public Speaking

STRATEGY #1 — UNCOVER & CLEAN THE WOUND. Don't try and cover your public speaking fears with band-aids. It won't work. Instead, uncover and then clean your wound. Figure out why you're nervous and deal with it.

STRATEGY #2 — IMAGINE THE WORST. Imagine that everything goes wrong in your upcoming speech and it's an utter disaster. Figure out how you will deal with your emotions in advance and control the situation.

STRATEGY #3 — YOU BE YOU, GROW INTO YOU. Accept that you're going to deliver your speech in a way which aligns with your personality and get comfortable with that. Use that trait as an integral part of your speech.

STRATEGY #4 — SPEAK TO ONE. Remind yourself that a crowd is really just a large number of individuals. If possible, meet some of them and then when you go on stage, talk to those few you know.

STRATEGY #5 — IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU. The people in the crowd are less concerned about you than you may realize. Even when you're speaking, they're not thinking about you so relax. Serve them without being worried.

STRATEGY #6 — CHANNEL THE POWER. Don't try and get rid of all nervousness when you speak. Instead, channel your stress and nervousness into obsessing over creating a positive outcome. That's a worthwhile aim.

STRATEGY #7 — BE IN THE MOMENT. Enjoy any and all public speaking opportunities you get. Be in the moment rather than worrying about what went wrong in your buildup. Have fun and you'll ace it.

About The Author

Mike Acker is a leadership and communications coach. He is president and lead coach/speaker at ADVANCE, where he works with companies like Microsoft, INOPPS, Diace Designs and E-Bay. Mike Acker has more than 18 years of experience in giving keynote presentations, leadership development, and organizational management. Mike Acker has given presentations to groups of 10 to 10,000. In 2014, he became chairman of GO on the Mission, a non-profit which works to lift kids out of poverty in Senegal and Mexico. Mike Acker is a graduate of Northwest University and Wayne State College.

Summaries.Com Editor's Thoughts

Ah, public speaking. Some people love it but for most people it's the stuff of nightmares and cold sweats in the middle of the night. Mike Acker makes the point that it doesn't have to be that way, and I agree.

The thing I liked most about this book is it's down-to-earth and has some very practical strategies anyone can use. I liked the underlying message that you can do something about your fears rather than simply accepting they are there. In the current business environment where podcasts, YouTube channels and social media all have huge reach, finding your voice and projecting it is becoming more important than ever before.

This is a short book which gets to the point, but the ideas it explains have a very long shelf life. Great book.

Amazon.com

Do you HATE public speaking? Are you TERRIFIED to stand in front of people?

When you think of speaking, do you get nervous, anxious, even sweaty? You don't have to be afraid any longer.

This book can help you. You will learn 7 strategies you can begin today. These strategies will give you a new perspective, they will prepare you, and they will give you actions to practice. As you implement these strategies, your fear willbegin to fade.

It can seem like everyone is a gifted speak when you watch TED talks or compare yourself to skilled co-workers giving presentations. Don't get caught up in comparison. Instead, take action to improve YOUR ability and to overcome your fear.

If you struggle when you speak, then you are not alone. Public speaking is the #1 fear in America.

Millions of people are terrified at the prospect of going up on stage and addressing a crowd even more than they're afraid of death. And yet, it's an unavoidable experience if you want to succeed in this world.

Maybe it's a business presentation for your career path, a speech in school, or a toast at your best friend's wedding. Fear of speaking grips you. But it doesn't have to. Not anymore.
Full of relatable anecdotes, executable tips, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, this book promises to teach you 7 proven strategies to help you find your inner presenter. Don't wait any longer. Today is the day you take charge of your anxiety, calm your nerves, and - most importantly - speak with no fear.

Excerpt & Encouragement

Before You Begin: Believe

I welcome you to jump into the strategies in the book. Just promise me that you won't start with doubt.

Doubt deters you from taking strategies seriously. Doubt erodes confidence. Doubt makes truth seem like lies. Doubt will feed your fear and give you more speaking nightmares. So you have to let go of your doubts and start believing in yourself. A BIG part of overcoming fear is believing in yourself. Begin with belief.

"Where You Are Is Not Where You Have To Be."

This sentence was included in my introduction. Do you believe it? Do you believe in yourself? At least some part of you does. Otherwise you wouldn't have picked up this book! Let's build on this belief. Take a moment and whisper the immortal words from the classic story, The Little Engine That Could, "I think I can. I think I can. I think I can."

Are you struggling? Do you find yourself dwelling on negative thoughts? "It's not going to work for me.""I'm just not a good speaker.""I'm an introvert. I just can't.""I've tried in the past, and it didn't work."

If you are struggling to believe, will you suspend disbelief while you read?

Read this book as a believer, not as a skeptic. Education will often teach you to think critically. Keep that mindset for work and academics. This book needs you to think receptively. Trade in any negativity for positivity. Think well of yourself. Believe in yourself.

Remember: "Where you are is not where you have to be."

Act on these strategies and set yourself up for success in speaking, in your career, and in your life:

The Seven Strategies

1.   Uncover & Clean the Wound
2.   Imagine the Worst
3.   You Be You
4.   Speak to One
5.   It's Not About You
6.   Channel The Power
7.   Be in the Moment