How to Motivate Yourself Before a Presentation

Public speaking can be daunting even for the most experienced speakers. Every instance and every audience presents different hurdles. And for those who are new to it, public speaking events, like giving a presentation, can be overwhelming. There are even people who try to avoid it at all costs, as giving a presentation can be anxiety-inducing. However, during times when it really can’t be avoided, there’s the jittery, nerve-wracking feeling. It takes a lot of effort to calm down before stepping on-stage and into the spotlight. You might need to motivate yourself before a presentation to be at your best.

Dealing with Presentation Jitters

As you go along and give more presentations, you will find that you have unwittingly developed your own rituals to calm yourself or even motivate yourself before a presentation. What may work for you may not work for other people. The self-help tips that other people give about motivation may not be so applicable to you. The key is to do what works for you.

If you have no idea, however, perhaps these tips can help you get started so that you develop your own motivations before your presentation.

Motivating Yourself Before a Presentation

Here are some rituals you can try to help you prepare and become more confident in your presentations.

1. Empathy Rituals. This type of preparation allows you to better connect with your audience through the use of empathy. This ritual allows you to give off empathy that therefore helps you humanize your audience, to see each as an individual so that you become less intimidated of the crowd as a whole. What you can do is to go around the room and talk to your audience before your presentation. This is especially true if you don’t know any of them. You may also try to sit somewhere in the audience before your presentation so you get a picture of how you may seem like from an audience member’s vantage point. Aside from these two tips, you may also try to zero in on a familiar or friendly face in the audience as you do your presentation. This can be your anchor to help you be more confident as you present and talk.
2. Exertion Rituals. You may also try exercising to get your heart pumping before your presentation. This not only boosts your energy levels, but gives you a certain natural high that can help you become more confident. Exertion like this also helps reduce your stress hormone levels. You can go on an exercise, have a jog, dance, or just jump up and down backstage.
3. Spiritual Rituals. You may also try moments of silence and stillness to prepare you for your presentation. You can meditate, listen to chants, pray, or simply express gratitude. These rituals can help you become calm, grounded, and positive. Once you’ve done this, it would readily reflect on how you carry yourself onstage.
4. Mantra-based Rituals. These are soothing rituals that affirm you and help you become calmer and more confident. You can create a list of affirmations or motivational and inspiring quotes that you can repeat just before your presentation. You can say this out loud or in your head, and you can feel yourself become soothed and less anxious about the talk you’re going to give.

These tips are simply suggestions, and you can try one or a combination of these–whichever works best for you.