Danie Lynne

There are many reasons why public speaking can be frightening. Speaking
before large groups of people and being the center of attention are not everyday occurrences for most of us. Moreover, these are often important moments: Much may depend on how well we speak. This element of risk, combined with the feeling of strangeness, can explain why many people dread public speaking. They are afraid they will make mistakes “and look bad to other people.”7 We have had students plunge into depression because they didn’t say exactly what they planned and are certain that others were aware of the “mistake.” Apparently, they think listeners are clairvoyant!
The truth is, listeners simply don’t know what you’ve planned to say, and therefore have no way of knowing that you haven’t said something exactly as you planned it. Furthermore, what you say on the spur of the moment may be better than the exact wording you had planned. That’s why extemporaneous presentations are usually superior to memorized or read speeches. They are prompted by the moment, and by the interaction of speaker and listener. Finally, even if listeners are aware of a mistake, they really don’t care that much about it. You will probably brood about an error much longer than your listeners will remember it.