Six Ways To Channel Nervous Energy Into An Influential Message

The day has arrived, and you are moments away from stepping in front of an audience to give your big presentation. Your heart is racing, and your palms are sweating. You’re a nervous wreck. You’ve done everything necessary to prepare: created a strong outline of speaking points, carefully curated bullet points for motivating slides, and practiced until the data was a part of you. You simply can’t understand why you feel so nervous, so you immediately begin to question your ability to deliver your message.

Don’t worry! If you’re nervous, it means you’ve got a pulse. You’re human. Nervous energy is natural, especially when you’re put into a situation that doesn’t occur often enough to make it feel like second nature. If you weren’t nervous, I would question whether you were truly committed to doing a good job.

Here are six ways to channel that nervous energy into an influential message. By doing so, you can motivate your listeners to act upon what you have to say.

Everyone wants to see you succeed

Your listeners are rooting for you. They’ve taken time from their busy schedules to attend your meeting. They don’t have to be there; they want to be there. They want to hear what you have to say. It’s up to you to make it worth their time. No one in the audience is hoping that you’ll trip, stumble, stutter or forget a point. You’re on the same team, and they want to see you succeed. Your success equals their success. Get out of your own head and realize the presentation is about them, not you. You are simply the messenger sharing data points that benefit your audience and meet their needs. When you stop worrying about yourself, you can redirect your inward thinking and prioritize what’s most important: your listeners.

Get comfortable being uncomfortable

If you’ve ever learned how to play a sport or musical instrument, you know the fear that comes with uncertainty. Coaches and teachers give us skills to practice, which stretch our abilities. At first, it feels awkward and unnatural. As the coaching continues, your skills are fine-tuned, helping you develop and improve. Each coach-recommended modification requires us to carefully concentrate and think through even the slightest motions. It is frustrating and often invokes defense mechanisms. The same holds true with our communication skills. When we aren’t used to routinely stepping on stage or delivering high-stakes presentations, it feels unnatural. We question if we are doing it right. In this moment, we must commit to embracing the discomfort and realize it is part of the development process needed for improvement.

Your discomfort is not noticeable

When stepping on stage, your audience can’t tell how you feel. Nervous energy may course uncontrollably through your body. Maybe your palms are sweaty, or you are slightly shaking. Maybe you feel your face turning red or that you might throw up. Fortunately, your audience does not see how you feel. Think back through the last few people you witnessed giving presentations. They likely felt the same nerves you’re experiencing now. It’s unlikely that you saw their nervous energy. The same holds true with you. What you feel is not what your audience experiences.

Breathe

No matter how much you’ve practiced or rehearsed, butterflies are normal. You can control that nervous energy by learning to control your breathing. Controlled breathing will help you pace your rate of speech, calm your jitters and focus on what you have to say rather than on the adrenaline rush you’re experiencing. Breathing requires practice. While rehearsing your presentation before the big day, concentrate on your breathing. Identify areas in-between topic transitions or big data points that you want to resonate. Pause to breathe deeply and allow the point you just made to resonate with your listeners. When you practice this behavior, it becomes a natural part of your presentation.

It’s like a daily conversation

It’s unlikely you would be quite this nervous if you were presenting your points to just one or two people. Your tone, energy, and speaking rhythm would be comfortable and conversational. There is no rule that says you can’t treat an audience of 100 the same as you would an audience of one. Think of it as less of a presentation and more of a conversation. Invite your audience to be a part of the discussion. They will feel less like they are being spoken to and more like a part of the discussion. When you realize the presentation is the same no matter the audience size, you become more natural and authentic.

Treat every day like game day

Instead of focusing your efforts on one specific presentation or event, start treating every conversation as if it were a high-stakes moment. Practice your communication skills in every interaction so they become second nature. The more you practice in day-to-day conversations, the easier it becomes. If you wait to practice until right before the big day, it’s already too late.

Nervous energy can work in your favor when you recognize its power to elevate your message. We all get nervous. The goal is to channel that energy to influence your audience to act upon your recommendations. Embrace it. Recognize that it is human nature, and let it work for you.