Fear is so debilitating, and yet it is so prevalent. I would say, in fact, that it is probably the number one obstacle standing in the way of having a solid, positive mental mindset. Yet when its true nature is revealed, we are no longer bound by the mental and emotional limitations it imposes upon us.

What are our most common fears when it comes to public speaking? That people will think we're stupid, that our message will be criticized or rejected, that we'll freeze up and forget what we're supposed to say. I want you to think about this fear thing from another perspective. Can you imagine members of your audience sitting out there saying, "I hope he does a terrible job," or "I hope she is really dry and boring," or "I hope he gets nervous"? Do you see how ridiculous this line of reasoning is? No one out there is hoping for your demise.

Of course, I'm being a little facetious here, but really, can you recall a time when you heard a speaker or a musical performer who really didn't do a good job? Perhaps the performer even performed terribly. When you witnessed her/his failure, you probably actually felt pained, didn't you? If the performer feels awkward and uncomfortable, then you as an audience member do, too. And who wants to feel like that? Your audience really does want you to do a great job. They want to hear a presentation that is engaging and credible, exciting and solid. Furthermore, consider the fact that they have made an investment of time, money or both into attending your presentation and would, therefore, be totally entitled to expect you to do a fantastic job. Sometimes something as simple as realizing that your audience really is rooting for you can go a long way toward alleviating your fear.

Laliaphobia is the fear of public speaking, an affliction with which most of us are faced at one point or another in our lives. Here's another thing to consider when it comes to fear: Many believe that public speaking is universally regarded as the number one most common fear. On the other hand, however, we also know that human beings' only inborn fears-that is, the only fears they have as newborn infants-are loud noises and falling. Any other fear is learned. Think about that for a minute. Any other fear you can possibly think of is learned. Do you realize what a powerful realization this is? I use the term powerful to describe it because if you can learn it, you can also unlearn it.

Recall the mental programming we talked about. You have the power to rewire your thoughts and beliefs. You're only afraid of public speaking (or anything else for that matter) if you tell yourself you are. I'm not saying fears aren't real and that eradicating them is so simple that they can just be swooshed away by the wand of "happy thoughts." An in-depth discussion of the intense psychological therapy that may be involved in resolving traumatic, deep-rooted fears is beyond the scope of this manual, but I truly do believe that the basic premise that "what the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve" holds true.

I want you to now focus on what is driving your fear of speaking. Think about the first time you felt fear over getting up in front of a crowd. What triggered this learned fear? The moment you can realize why you feel this fear, you can change your future. Why are you so concerned about what people think? So what if they judge or criticize you. They aren't thinking about you or judging you as much as you think they are. In fact, Napoleon Hill said, "The fear of criticism robs man of his initiative, destroys his power of imagination, limits his individuality and takes away his self-reliance." Focus on a great presentation, not on whether people will criticize you. You will quit caring about what others think of you when you realize how little they actually do think about you.

Understand that you must never plant the seed of nervousness in your prospects. What I mean by this is that you must never tell your audience you feel uneasy or nervous. The moment you spill the beans, they will start to look for evidence of your nervousness. Ninety-nine percent of the time, your audience has no clue how nervous you really are. Don't expect perfection the first time you speak. In fact, I have never seen a perfect presentation. Nervousness is normal. Everyone feels it before a presentation. In fact, a great presenter once said, "It is OK to have butterflies; you just need to get them to fly in formation." You are the master of your domain.