I just came back from Seattle. I gave a talk about speaking skills to people at Microsoft. The event organizers asked if I wanted to practice my talk the night before. I said yes because I like to practice under ‘good stress.’
Good stress helps you do better. Bad stress makes you feel anxious and can cause problems like sweaty hands and a fast heartbeat.
To feel more confident and less anxious, try to have more good stress and less bad stress.
Research shows that practicing under a little stress helps you feel ready when you perform. When you practice with some pressure, real performances feel easier.
At Microsoft, I practiced in the same room where I would speak. This helped me learn important things:
- It was recorded by a film crew.
- My screen was on my left side.
- Some video sound needed to be louder.
- I had to control the microphone carefully.
- I used a different clicker for my slides.
- I saw my slides on a monitor in front of me.
Practicing helped me feel confident and have fun. If you practice often, you will also feel good about your presentations.
Vocabulary List:
- Confidence /ˈkɒn.fɪ.dəns/ (noun): The feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust.
- Anxious /ˈæŋk.ʃəs/ (adjective): Experiencing worry unease or nervousness.
- Performance /pərˈfɔːr.məns/ (noun): The act of presenting a play concert or other form of entertainment.
- Pressure /ˈprɛʃ.ər/ (noun): The continuous physical force exerted on or against an object.
- Organizers /ˈɔːr.ɡə.nɪ.zərs/ (noun): People who arrange and coordinate an event or activity.
- Practice /ˈpræk.tɪs/ (verb): To perform an activity or exercise repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain proficiency.
How much do you know?
