Joe Vitale Talks About How EFT Helped with Public Speaking Anxiety and Many Other Issues

When we are stressed and phobic we sometimes feel like we are "the only one"-- it's pretty inspiring to hear that people like dynamic speaker Joe Vitale was also "afraid of public speaking"-- he had answers to people's problems around wealth-building, but he was terrified of public speaking. In the video that follows he talks about going to Toastmasters or to the Rotary Club, etc., and before getting up in front of others, it is useful to state what the belief behind the block (the limiting belief) and then apply the Emotional Freedom Technique so as to release the limiting belief.

Using EFT Tapping to Overcome Public Speaking Phobia

When I first started going to Toastmasters-- all by myself, the "new kid in town"-- I was pretty close to terrified. I spent every start of the meeting in the john with my 'nervous gut'. Then I started to employ a couple of helpful, simple techniques that helped immensely with my nervousness: one was not to eat heavily on the day of the Toastmaster's event/meeting, and the other was to do this excellent EFT tapping that you can see in the following video:

Building your Vocabulary for Great Speech-Making

When I was a young child my teachers often marveled at my expansive vocabulary when my parents went to the Parent-Teacher meetings-- we lived on a farm in rural Canada, but my parents were both voracious readers. Dad read aloud to all of us (including my mother) at bedtime. Early books included "Winnie the Pooh" and "Mill on the Floss". I had very little understanding of George Elliot's "Mill on the Floss" but was delighted when it turned up on my first year English reading list when I went to College.

I do believe that the growth rate of my vocabulary has diminished as I grow older. I play on the computer more and read less, particularly fiction. I have no stats to prove it, but I hunch that reading good fiction-- literature, if you will-- is an organic, osmotic way to go about increasing your vocabulary. Take a look at this video clip and start developing your vocabulary today:

Exercises for the Face Muscles for Public Speaking

Have you ever noticed how pleasant it is to listen to people who have a relaxed, smiling face? One of my Toastmaster buddies was really focused on telling people how their voices lifted and warmed and got colorful when they smiled. That was certainly one of the most important tips I received from him. Sometimes when my dh is on the phone and very sombre I will jump around with my fingers at the corners of my mouth to cue him to smile... he is such a great sport, and I DO notice how it changes his voice color and quality.

It's Not What You Say, But How...

This week's tip is about: THE MESSAGE IS NOT WHAT YOU SAY; THE MESSAGE IS WHAT OTHERS GET FROM IT.

Do you have just 2 minutes? That's all the time it takes to read the following article. But if you're really short on time, just read the first paragraph. It summarizes the whole text.

Enjoy!

J.A. Gamache
http://www.jagamache.com

P.S.: DO SOMETHING WONDERFUL FOR YOUR FRIENDS!
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Free article no. 29
THE MESSAGE IS NOT WHAT YOU SAY;
THE MESSAGE IS WHAT OTHERS GET FROM IT.
by J.A. Gamache
Third place Champion at the 2001 Toastmasters International
World Championship of Public Speaking

Avoid the frustration of being misinterpreted by an audience. Practice your speech in front of a group and ask them what they think your message is.

My experience has been that, no matter what my initial intentions, the only message I end up conveying is not what I said but what others understood.

Sometimes, all it takes is one word to change an audience's perception. For example, and this is from personal experience, there's a huge difference between saying: "I like your dress," and "I like your dress today." The second comment got this question: "What? You didn't like my dress yesterday?" If only I had left out one word, she would have understood that I was trying to pay her a compliment.

The meaning of your message can be unintentionally changed by other factors besides words. Your tone of voice and gestures can also influence the perception of an audience. Try the following experiment. Laugh and say, "That's very funny!".
You'll notice that your message has a single meaning--that it was very funny.

Now say it seriously, "That's ve-e-ry-y-y funny-y-y!" Use your best nasal tone. What did you just say? Exactly the opposite--that it was not funny at all. That's what's called irony--saying something to express the opposite.

Finally, repeat the sentence, using the same ironic tone and curling your upper lip. Look up (try it! Look at yourself in a mirror). Now your message is: "You're an idiot!"It may surprise you to see how little details like these can change your message so much that you can be misinterpreted.

That's why I strongly suggest that you check the meaning people get from your message. Test it in front of a group before you give your speech in public. Your test audience can be just one person. It's not important.

Ask the people in your test group what they think your message is. You'll avoid the frustration of being misinterpreted during your next speech. Remember: The message
is not what you say; the message is what others get from it.

Happy speech!

©MMIX J.A. Gamache www.jagamache.com. All rights reserved.

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PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO REPRODUCE THIS ARTICLE in whole or in part if a copy of the reproduced text is sent to J.A. Gamache at info@jagamache.com after publication and also provided that this byline, including the following paragraph, appears along with the reproduced text:

This article was reproduced from "Speaking in Public with J.A.", a FREE electronic magazine authored by J.A. Gamache, International Inspirational Speaker. To subscribe to his FREE e-zine or to find out more about his presentations, visit: http://www.jagamache.com.
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Avoid Swaying Back and Forth...

by J.A. Gamache
Champion 2001, 3rd place at Toastmasters International's
World Championship of Public Speaking


It's annoying to watch a speaker rock back and forth. To help you correct this bad habit, here's a posture to keep your feet stable when you feel extremely nervous.

What do you think of speakers when they fidget or sway back and forth? What message do you think they're conveying?

The impression I get is that they feel very nervous and are not in control.

When I watch videos of my first speeches, I find my swaying so pronounced that I look like I was caught in a storm on the deck of a ship!

An actor friend told me how to stand at the lectern to avoid any swaying movement. It worked! I felt more stable right away.

Here's the position he suggested:

1- FEET AT SHOULDER WIDTH.
That is usually the position you adopt when you walk.

2- ONE FOOT SLIGHTLY IN FRONT OF THE OTHER.
This way you avoid swaying back and forth.

3- KNEES SLIGHTLY BENT.
The moment you bend your knees, you notice increased leg stability.

Try the following test: Adopt your usual stance and ask someone to give you a gentle push. Most likely, you will lose your balance. Now do the same test standing in the position suggested above. This time it will be hard to make you fall.

Adopt this stable position and practice it often. Use this stance when talking to a college at work, or waiting for the bus, etc. Do it as often as you can and soon the position will become natural.

The next time you give a speech, use the stance I have just described. It will make you stop swaying and give everyone the impression that you're calm and in control, because your legs will feel stable even though you may feel extremely nervous.

Happy writing!

©MMIX J.A. Gamache www.jagamache.com All rights reserved.

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PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO REPRODUCE THIS ARTICLE in whole or in part if a copy of the reproduction is sent to J.A. Gamache at info@jagamache.com after publication and also provided that this byline including the following paragraph appears along with the reproduction:

This article was reproduced from the "Speaking in public with J.A." FREE electronic magazine, authored by J.A. Gamache, International Inspirational Speaker. To subscribe to his FREE e-zine or to find out more about his presentations, visit http://www.jagamache.com .
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An Unforgettable Speech...

by J.A. Gamache
3rd place Champion in 2001 at Toastmasters International's
World Championship of Public Speaking

So you want to deliver a memorable speech? Then tack a story on to your message. Why? Because although people may forget your message, they generally remember stories.

When people who have seen my presentations approach me, they typically talk about my stories rather than my message. They'll generally say something like,' I remember the story about your grand-father and the chair,' or, 'You're the guy who talks about the butterfly, right?' or 'I remember the story about the young baseball player... It made me think...'

I don't exactly know why audiences remember stories the most. Is it because they empower the imagination? Or do they remind us of the stories we were told as children? Or perhaps they stir up the emotions? I don't know, but they work! In fact, this technique works so well that it's always better to incorporate a story into your message if you want it to be remembered easily.

Professional speakers understand that. That's why they often use storytelling to support their viewpoint. Listen closely to the way the pros speak. Many of them even start and finish their presentation with a story. Using storytelling to get your message across is an old teaching technique. Isn't it how we often teach our children? For my part, Aesop's fable, The boy who cried wolf, taught me not to lie about needing help. In this tale, a boy so often
pretends that wolves are attacking that the day he really needs help no one comes to his rescue. Although I've never had to face wolves, I learned a lesson from the boy and never, ever cried wolf!

Tell at least one story in your next speech, whether it's funny or sad, real or imaginary, or whether it's personal or
not. What matters is that all your stories make your speeches memorable. Don't forget: if your message is backed up by a story, chances are it will be remembered!

Happy writing!

©MMVIII J.A. Gamache http://www.jagamache.com
All rights reserved.

---------------------------------
PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO REPRODUCE THIS ARTICLE in whole or
in part if a copy of the reproduction is sent to J.A. Gamache
at info@jagamache.com after publication and also provided
that the following byline appears along with the
reproduction:

This article was reproduced from the "Speaking in public with
J.A." FREE electronic magazine, authored by J.A. Gamache,
International Inspirational Speaker. To subscribe to his FREE
e-zine or to find out more about his presentations, visit
http://www.jagamache.com .
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