How to acquire confidence an audience

How to acquire confidence before an audience

1. Face an audience as frequently as you can, and you will soon stop shying. You can never attain freedom from stage fright by reading a treatise. To plunge is the only way.
2. Practice, practice, PRACTISE in speaking before an audience will tend to remove all fear of audiences, just as practice in swimming will lead to confidence and facility in the water. You must learn to speak by speaking.
3. Do not be disheartened if at first you suffer from stage fright.
4.Be absorbed by your subject. Your interest on what you are about to say−−fill your mind with your speech material and it will drive out your unsubstantial fears.
5. Self−consciousness is undue consciousness of self, and, for the purpose of delivery, self is secondary to your
subject, not only in the opinion of the audience, buy all the determination you can muster. It is sheer egotism to fill your mind with thoughts of self when a greater thing is there−−TRUTH. Say this to yourself sternly, and shame your self−consciousness into quiescence.
6. Have Something to Say. The trouble with many speakers is that they go before an audience with their minds a blank. Know what you are going to talk about, and, in general, how you are going to say it. Have the first few sentences worked out completely so that you may not be troubled in the beginning to find words. Know your subject better than your hearers know it, and you have nothing to fear.
7. After Preparing for Success, Expect It. Let your bearing be modestly confident, but most of all be modestly confident within. Over−confidence is bad, but to tolerate premonitions of failure is worse. If you believe you will fail, there is no hope for you. You will. Rid yourself of this I−am−a−poor−worm−in−the−dust idea.
8. Assume Mastery Over Your Audience. In public speech, as in electricity, there is a positive and a negative force. Your assumption of being able to instruct oör lead or inspire a multitude or even a small group of people may appall you as being colossal impudence−−as indeed it may be; but having once essayed to speak, be courageous. BE courageous−−it lies within you to be what you will. MAKE yourself be calm and confident.