I recently went to Seattle to give a talk on persuasive speaking skills at Microsoft. The night before the event, I practiced my presentation in the actual room where I would be speaking. This kind of practice, under a bit of stress, is known as ‘good stress’ or ‘eustress’. It can help improve your performance by reducing anxiety and boosting confidence.
Research shows that practicing under a small amount of stress can help you feel more comfortable when facing challenging situations. It’s like learning to swim in the ocean before actually diving in. When I rehearsed at Microsoft, I discovered some important details about the setup that I wouldn’t have known otherwise. This allowed me to adjust and feel more confident on the day of the presentation.
If you have an important presentation coming up, make sure to schedule practice sessions with some added stress. This will help you get used to unexpected challenges and feel more at ease when the time comes. Remember, the more you practice under pressure, the easier it will be to handle nerves and focus on delivering a great performance.
By adding a little stress to your practice routine, you can reduce anxiety and increase your confidence. And who knows, you might even start looking forward to your presentations! When you’re having fun, your audience will enjoy it too.
Vocabulary List:
- Persuasive /pərˈsweɪ.sɪv/ (adjective): Able to convince someone to do or believe something.
- Performance /pərˈfɔːr.məns/ (noun): The act of presenting a play concert or other form of entertainment.
- Confidence /ˈkɒn.fɪ.dəns/ (noun): The feeling or belief that one can have faith in or rely on someone or something.
- Anxiety /æŋˈzaɪ.ə.ti/ (noun): A feeling of worry nervousness or unease about something with an uncertain outcome.
- Challenges /ˈtʃæl.ɪn.dʒɪz/ (noun): Difficult tasks or situations that require a solution or effort.
- Eustress /juːˈstrɛs/ (noun): A positive form of stress that can help improve performance.
How much do you know?
