How to overcome stage fright?
- Ivan Vrdoljak
- Feb 5
- 4 min read
As a TV personality, I've been in front of the cameras almost every day for the past 17 years. I've experienced stage fright a "million" times in a negative sense, before I learned to manage it and turn it into a positive excitement. I'll share a few simple techniques that can help you the next time you start this train of thought: "What if I forget what I'm supposed to say? What if I embarrass myself? What if the audience starts looking at their phones? My heart is pounding. My voice is shaking. My forehead is sweating."
All these thoughts and physiological phenomena are very common and normal. Fear of public speaking, glossophobia or simply stage fright is experienced by 75% of people. It is very common when speaking in front of an audience - colleagues, bosses, clients or in front of a camera.
The good news? You can control your stage fright and even use it to give an even better and more energetic performance. Here's how.
1. Recognize your inner critic
You have a voice in your head that constantly criticizes you. I call it the Evil Little Voice . It likes to repeat things like, “What if you make a mistake?” or “Everyone will notice your nervousness.”
Tip: Don't listen to it. That voice isn't real. It's the twin brother of that pounding heart, the trembling voice, and all that other wonderful stuff. It's an outdated alarm that your brain sets off to "protect" you from situations it perceives as risky, difficult, or dangerous.
In human history, this fight or flight mechanism was activated when encountering wild beasts or hostile tribes. That ancient part of our brain today triggers the same reaction when standing out from the crowd and standing in front of a crowd of people in a situation where we have to give a speech.
Such exposure and the risk of error or judgment - our amygdala in the brain interprets it as a potential threat, and puts the performance in the same category as a lion attack. The cure? Learn to prepare for the performance.
2. Preparation is your secret superpower
Stage fright loves the unknown. The better you know your material, the less room there is for panic. Write down three key messages you want to convey. Practice performing out loud in front of an imaginary audience several times from start to finish. Record yourself and study how you look and sound.
Tip: The goal is not to be a robot, but to be convincing. A small mistake is not a tragedy, and the audience will remember your energy more than every word.
3. Body control – mind control
Stage fright manifests itself physically: rapid breathing, sweating, trembling. Fortunately, you can train your body to choose relaxation over tension. Take a deep breath through your nose and slowly exhale through your mouth 3–5 times. The exhale should be longer than the inhale.
Relax your shoulders, stretch your neck, and move your arms. Stand steady, with an open stance – your body sends a message to your brain: "Everything is under control."
Tip: If you're shaking, take a mini-break and smile. No one will notice your nervousness if you look calm.
4. Laughter and humor reduce stage fright
If you can, insert a small dose of humor . It doesn't have to be stand-up comedy, a short remark that relieves you of tension is enough.
Example: "If I forget a few lines today, it's actually not a bad thing because the audience got bonus coffee time."
Humor relaxes you and makes the audience friendly. Those who laugh with you will not judge you.
5. Focus on the audience, not yourself
Anxiety grows when you constantly analyze yourself through the lens of criticism. Get out of your head and refocus: What does the audience need to learn from you? What value do you bring to them?
When you think about that, and not about yourself and your stage fright, you become more natural and confident.
6. Mistake is not the end of the world
Accept that mistakes happen. No one is perfect, not even the most famous speakers. If you forget a line, move on. The audience rarely notices. If you falter or pause, use it as a moment to take a deep breath and continue with a smile.
Tip: Practice mistakes in advance. Intentionally skip a sentence and continue – you're training your resistance to stage fright.
7. Small victories build confidence.
Every performance is a training session. Analyze small successes: How much better did you connect with the audience? How much calmer did you breathe? How much clearer and more energetically did you convey key messages?
Every small victory reduces the power of the Evil Little Voice and increases your control over your nervousness. Nervousness is not the enemy – it is a signal that you care and energy that you can use.
Recognize negative thoughts , prepare yourself, calm your body, add humor, focus on the content and the audience, and don't worry about mistakes. If you apply this, you will not only overcome stage fright – you will turn your performance into an experience that delights the audience and fulfills you, instead of draining you .
And remember: you can't turn off stage fright, but you can turn it into your superpower.
If you need help improving your public speaking, we are just a message away.
