This is a little mantra I put together before a recent presentation.
👀Eyes Up
When I saw pictures of myself from a previous presentation, I noticed that my body language was very different at the beginning of the talk from the rest of it. Getting started is the hardest part of presenting for me. This statement is a cue to make eye contact with my audience and to leverage a confident posture to boost my confidence.
🧘Breathe
My nerves before presenting largely manifest themselves physically. I don’t worry about knowing the material, but my heart rate might increase or I might get flushed. Intentional deep breathing, box breathing, etc. is an effective way for me to calm these unwelcome physical reactions.
🔥Let’s go!
This is a reminder for me to dive in and go. This is exciting; this is an opportunity; this is a privilege to share my thoughts.
♟️Aside from these tactical tips, there is a strategic mindset that I find helpful. It comes from martial arts coach John Danaher’s response to how he prepares athletes for high-profile competition. His approach is to separate the reality of the match from the illusion of the hype. All the aspects of presenting that generate nerves are not real. If you can present in front of an empty room or a screen, that is exactly the same activity you are performing when the room is full or you are in front of an online audience. Focus on what you know and do every day, that is the reality.