The FAQ Book

Due to the bad audio (Sorry!), I promised you that I will post the transcript of the public speaking tips Eric has dispensed in the Youtube videos so you don't miss out the gems due to bad audio (Sorry again!)

Well, here's the first one.

(Laughs) Well this is what happens when you breathe 50 times, you hyper-ventilate. You see the thing about breathing is to help you relax in the first 5 minutes before you give your speech. But sometimes it is not really very effective. But first, understand what is it that caused YOU to be so extremely nervous when you give a speech.

Think about it. Think about the last speech that you've given. First 5 minutes before you step up on stage, what are some of the things you have in your head? The conversations? The voices? It goes something like this, isn’t it? What if I forgot my lines? What if the audience doesn’t like me? Or what if I don’t deserve to be on the stage here? Notice that all those questions or voices that you have in your head are very much about YOU. It is very I-centric. And that’s makes the nervous goes up.

Instead, my suggestion is to focus on your audience. Be audience-centric in the last 5 minutes before you get up on stage. For example things like, are my audience going to get the three points that I’m going to share with them. Is the second here appropriate for my audience? What kind of value or take-away message do I want them to get out of my speech today? Focus on your audience gives you certainty and that certainty gives you control. And control reduces and sometimes dissolves the nervous energy that you have before your speech.

Of course, if you want to like breathe, maybe just 1 to 10 times will do. Unless you want to end up like my dear friend , Andrew. I’ll see you guys. Bye bye.