Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking: 11 Tools You Were Never Taught in School

For years, I dreaded public speaking. 

My heart raced. My face flushed. I’d get embarrassed about being embarrassed. 

So I avoided it—until I realised that the real shift wasn’t in my voice. It was in my focus. I stopped worrying about myself and started focusing on the audience. I’m there to serve them—not to prove myself. 

Now, I coach and speak professionally every week. Here’s what helped: 

 1. The 5-5-5 Rule 

 Scan 5 faces. Hold each gaze for 5 seconds. Repeat every 5 minutes to build connection. 

2. Power Pause 

 Pause for 3 seconds after delivering a key idea. Let your message land. 

3. The 3-Part Open 

 Hook them with a question. Share a relevant story. Then make a promise about what’s to come. 

4. Palm-Up Principle 

 Open palms convey trust. Avoid pointing—it can seem aggressive. 

5. The 90-Second Reset 

 Before you speak, breathe deeply for 90 seconds. It grounds your body and calms your mind. 

6. Rule of Three 

 Group information into threes. It’s how our brains process and remember best. 

7. 2-Minute Story Rule 

 Keep stories under two minutes. You’ll keep the room engaged and avoid losing attention. 

8. Lighthouse Method 

 Create “anchor points” in the room. Rotate your gaze naturally between them. 

9. Power Position 

 Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Hands relaxed. This projects calm confidence. 

10. Callback Technique 

 Refer back to something you said earlier. Audiences love connection and narrative threads. 

11. The Rehearsal Truth 

 Rehearse your opening three times more than the rest. Nail the first 30 seconds, and you’ll likely nail the whole talk. 

Public speaking isn’t about performing. It’s about connecting. And like any leadership skill—it’s learnable.