Different people become anxious at different times during the speechmaking process. Depending on when it strikes, the consequences of public-speaking anxiety can include everything from procrastination to poor speech performance. But by pinpointing the onset of speech anxiety, you can address it promptly with specific anxiety-reducing techniques.

Pre-preparation Anxiety

Some people feel anxious the minute they know they will be giving a speech. Pre-preparation anxiety at this early stage can have several negative consequences for speakers, from feeling reluctant to begin planning for the speech to becoming so preoccupied with anxiety that they miss vital information necessary to fulfill the speech assignment. If this form of anxiety affects you, start very early using the stress-reducing techniques described in this chapter.

Preparation Anxiety

For a minority of people, anxiety arises only when they actually begin to prepare for the speech. They might feel overwhelmed at the amount of time and planning required or hit a roadblock that puts them behind schedule. Preparation pressures produce a cycle of stress, procrastination, and outright avoidance, all of which contribute to preparation anxiety. If you find yourself feeling anxious during this stage, defuse the anxiety by taking short, relaxing breaks to regain your confidence and focus.

Pre-performance Anxiety

Some people experience anxiety as they rehearse their speech. This is when the reality of the situation sets in: Soon they will face an audience that will be watching and listening only to them. They may feel that their ideas don’t sound as focused or as interesting as they should, or sense that the time left to polish the speech is short. If this pre-performance anxiety is strong enough, and is interpreted negatively, they may even decide to stop rehearsing. If you experience pre-performance heightened anxiety, consider using the anxiety stop-time technique: Allow your anxiety to present itself for up to a few minutes until you declare time for confidence to step in so you can proceed to complete your practice.³

I experience anxiety before, during, and after the speech. My “before speech” anxiety begins the night before my speech, but then I begin to look over my notecards, and I start to realize that I am ready for this speech. I practice one more time and I tell myself I am going to be fine.

— Paige Mease, student

Performance Anxiety

For most people, anxiety levels tend to be highest just before they begin speaking.⁴ This is true even of actors, who report that their worst stage fright occurs just as they walk onstage. Performance anxiety in speechmaking is probably most pronounced when we utter the first words of the speech and are most aware of the audience’s attention. Audiences we perceive as negative usually cause us to feel more anxious than those we sense are positive or neutral.⁵ However, experienced speakers agree that if they control their nervousness during the introduction, the rest of the speech will come relatively easily.

Regardless of when anxiety about a speech strikes, try to manage your anxiety and not let it manage you—by harming your motivation, or by causing you to avoid investing the time and energy required to deliver a successful speech.