This past weekend, I had the privilege of speaking with the Robert Morris University football team about engineering one’s identity and creating a commitment level that aligns with their goals. Despite my intense fear of public speaking, I managed to persevere by applying the same coaching strategies I share with athletes. Here’s how I did it:
Examine my own Fear
Understanding the root of my fear was the first step. I realized that my anxiety stemmed from worrying about others’ opinions. To combat this, I rationalized the situation: even if my speech didn’t go well, it would be a temporary setback. In the grand scheme of things, it would be a minor blip. In 60 years, everyone in that room will be dead and my speech won’t be remembered ever again. Sometimes recognizing our own insignificance in the grand scheme of life is empowering. This perspective helped me see the speech as a learning opportunity rather than a judgment on my abilities. The mantra “the only way out is through” became my guiding principle.
Embrace an Alter Ego
One of my favorite techniques is using an alter ego. This allows me to tap into a side of my personality that is confident and resilient. My alter ego is unbothered by the anxiety of public speaking and helps me project a more assured version of myself. By stepping into this role, I can face the crowd with a sense of strength and poise that might not always be accessible in my everyday persona.
Channel Anxiety into Excitement
When anxiety starts to build, I focus on my breathing and shift my mindset to what could go right. Instead of resisting anxiety, I deepen my relationship with it, understanding that it can be transformed into excitement. This energy was channeled to fuel my performance, allowing me to focus on the potential positive outcomes rather than the negatives.
Visualization
Visualization is my go to performance tool I use to prepare mentally. I imagined myself delivering the speech flawlessly, visualizing every movement and hearing the words as they flow. I pictured the audience engaged and responsive. This mental rehearsal builds confidence and helped create a roadmap for success.
Stay in the Present Moment
During the speech, I concentrate on staying present. Instead of worrying about what I need to say next, I focus on the point I am currently making. This mindfulness approach keeps me grounded and ensures that I deliver each part of the speech with clarity and conviction. — “Be where your feet are”
Preparation is Key
Lastly, preparation cannot be overstated. I practiced my speech NUMEROUS times, refining my main points and the tone in which I wanted to deliver them. This thorough preparation gave me the confidence and conviction that I was ready to handle whatever came my way. As I often tell athletes, “You can’t cheat preparation. You can’t cheat the game.”
This process gave me the ability to overcome my fear of public speaking and deliver a message that resonated with the team. Shortly after, several of the teams players reached out to me on social media. The head coach also personally texted me thanking me and expressing his desire to find out more about Athletic Fortitude and potentially appear on my podcast. I always tell my readers and athletes, I’ll never ask you to do something I’m not willing to do myself. This was proof of that. We are all capable of doing extraordinary things. We just need to be willing to step out of our comfort zone. These techniques aren’t a punchline. They are a blueprint to life that continues to build my mental and emotional fortitude in various aspects of life. We all can win. We just have to be willing to play the game.
To Building Fortitude.
Best Regards,
Colin Jonov, Founder & CEO Athletic Fortitude
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