Chapter 35. Keep Your Nervousness to Yourself
Despite your best efforts to depersonalize, to modify your behavior, and to practice in advance of a presentation, you may still find that you’re a bit nervous just before you begin. Here’s a time-honored truth about that moment: Keep your nervousness to yourself.
No one in the audience cares or is interested in the fact that you’re nervous. They have issues of their own to worry about. They expect, in fact, that you’ll be interesting, relevant, witty, and helpful. They may (or may not) have had a choice about attending your presentation. If they did so voluntarily, they’ve clearly voted in favor of listening to you, and you should see that as a positive thing. Even if they’re non-volunteers, they’re ...
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