A Stage is a cruel place for those who come unprepared or even less equipped. When we are on the other side, as the audience, we are very strict and rigid to give any 'novice' leverage to a speaker. It is rational to expect from a Public Speaker. If you are planning to make a speech, do remember that the stage isn't a place to rehearse or practice.
How many times we have seen a soldier doing his War-Practice in the battlefield itself? A presence on stage has to be a prepared one. It can be less impressive or average but the quality has a role later. First and foremost is the amount and extent of preparation one puts in. Starting with the purpose, resources and audience analysis, a speech or presentation has a lot to do on the rostrum as well. The arrangement of words, the delivery of thoughts with an appropriate tone and pitch, a sharp eye for the instant opportunities to add humour, motivating and controlling the audience and driving them to the planned destination are tough but tangible goals.
The stage has nothing to do with fear.
When you deny that you cannot go and speak instantly or impromptu, who has the fear? It is in you because till making the expression you never went to stage actually. It is the Negative Mental Rehearsal that you do. Great Speakers have always gone prepared. They did not memorise the speech, rather it was their own mind they went to speak of. Maturity comes with age and participation in conferences. Children and Youngsters have to keep learning through their young age so that when they get to speak, they carry a load of awareness and observations. At this initial stage, they just need to keep the spark active.
The stage fear, if accepted as real, isn't a thing of absolute power. It isn't even an aboriginal thing on earth. It is you who saw the self in someone who fumbled or failed or booed by the audience somewhere in the past. You identified yourself with that person and attached yourself to the Stage Fear thought. This is possible that the one who became your Source of Stage Fear, did better the next time he spoke and won for the best times.
If you associate yourself with those who fail for any reason, you end up with fear. On the other hand, if your idealisation is based on someone who succeeds, the negative mental rehearsal turns positive.
I am reminded of a Bollywood movie (Jigar) of Ajay Devgan in which the hero is humble in the beginning and gets beaten by the villains. He goes to the Karate-Martial Art Coach (played by veteran Ajit) who puts him to intensive rigorous physical training. We see the hero sweating blood and appreciate the preparation.
The transformation of Humble into Hero is something humans associate themselves with. As expected, credited to the hard training, Ajay Devgan returns unbeatable and eliminates the enemies with utter ease of violence. That's why I believe the world isn't a place to land unprepared and get caught off-guard.
I see Sachin Tendulkar or Virat Kohli or Dhoni as the 'Models' and that works to ease the fear.
The fundamental rule to make this formula work is 'To Prepare'. If you don't prepare, selecting even God as your Model will end with nothing.
We shall discuss it further as to how should or can we prepare and what are the other things that matter in Public Speaking!
I am sure that the call to "Come Prepared" (not Go Prepared) will be understood. I shall wait for you to conquer the stage!
Happy Oratory!
