If you have ever felt fear when you stood up to give a speech then I have good news for you. The news is that you are in good company. I’ve discovered after associating with speakers of all kinds for over fifty years, that if they ever get to the point when they do not feel some anxiety or nervousness then it is a good indicator that they should sit down and shut up. Often lack of nervousness and anxiety is a good indication that the speaker just no longer cares about the audience they will be facing or the topic involved. Or it might mean they are totally stoned. “What audience?” they might ask. I have found though that the better prepared I am the less stress I encounter. When I used to talk about stress I would say that without stress buildings would collapse. That stress is a good indicator that we are alive and doing something worth caring about. So the next time you feel that you just might drop dead with fear and excess stress just smile and say to yourself, “I am in great company. I still care.”
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