A world famous pastor who speaks to sold out stadiums once admitted to me that in his first year as a minister, his hands would shake as he approached the lectern. His palms would sweat and his heart would race. He had severe stage fright. When he overheard a critical comment about his speaking, he would focus on it and replay it over and over in his head.

Reappraisal: Changing the channel

The minister told me he overcame the fear of public speaking by “changing the internal channel.” Instead of focusing on what had gone wrong — or the negative comments he overheard — he focused on what he did right and the people who were moved by his message.

Rehearsal: Training under pressure

Beilock recommends “pressure training” to overcome nerves and stress. This works for athletes as well as business professionals preparing for a public-speaking opportunity. “Even practicing under mild levels of stress can prevent you from choking when high levels of stress come around,” Beilock writes.

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