How can improve my self-confidence and get ready for a presentation in a week?

Question

I have to make a big presentation in front of a small, but intimidating audience. I have not been able to sleep for worrying about it. Any advice?

Answer 1

Prepare as best you can beforehand. Run through your script and timings. Remeber that nerves tend to speed things up a little. Anticipate questions and have the facts and figures at your fingertips. Do a few dry-runs in front of colleagues / family. Just get used to your material so it becomes as easy as breathing.

Here's what I do on the day of the presentation.
I cast my mind back to the most humiliating experience of my life. I really concentrate hard on it, remembering everything in its most cringe-making detail. I tell myself calmly: " I handled this, I can handle anything." Then I consider my forthcoming presentation alongside the memory and KNOW that I can easily handle it.

Regarding sleep and worry. I have been taught a useful visualisation technique. Picture the subject of your worry. Now imagine it in a box and simply close the lid. Now imagine the box slowly shrinking and shrinking.
Give it a try, let me know how you get on.

Cheers

Answer 2

If you have ur presentation ready already, stand in front of a mirror and repeat the presentation to yourself in fron of the mirror. If possible, wear the same thing ur going to wear the day of the presentation during the practice sessions. Before the presentation, try to get together a group of friends, preferable those who know the subject of ur presentation, and do the whole presentation in front of them. Let them critique it and take their advice if u think it valid. On the day of the presentation, go to the venue early and practice in front of the empty space, if possible. Also, figure out where ur audience is going to sit and pick a point above it and focus on it during presentation- this will give people the illusion that u are looking at them. Although, you really should make eye contact and try to look as little as possible at the written presentation.

Answer 3

Practice in front of the mirror. Own IT! Do the best presentation l you have ever done in your life. Intimidating....forget about it.......You have worked on this presentation for awhile and put a lot of effort in it. Sell IT! WORK IT! You can do it!!! There is no room for self-doubt right now! Make believers out of them. Make THEM listen to you! Let them be intrigued by you....
Take care!

Answer 4

Blimey, good luck. I had this problem about a month back, i was so scared it made me feel physically ill. The thing is, everyone has the nervous feeling but as long as you know what your talking about you will be ok. You will feel worse than you look, i can promise you that much. I actually had hypnotherapy before my last one and my presentation went quite well considering, it is expensive and i honestly didnt think it would work but it did.

Answer 5

Aww, poor you, I used to be really shy and like you not able to put up with these things, but now im that chatty and ausing person in the class who isnt afraid of going up and resenting stuff.

Just think, this is your presentation, and you rule it, if anyone makes fun of you or anything, just dont worrie about it, who cares. I sometimes go red in the face and go to boiling temperature. But its normal. You need to work the confidence out for yourself. Nobdy can really help you sort this out. Unless you ask someone in person. Someone that you know well.

Answer 6

Do you know what, I am exactly the same I get so nervous and tongue tied when I am doing a presentation but I have found that if you rehearse, it really helps. Knowing what you are going to say will sound like you know exactly what you are talking about. Try and forget the people you are doing it to, focus on one person, a friend or someone you know, It helps.

Remember "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail"

Answer 7

join a small community that you know and help out.....volunteer at a a dining place for the homeless or to clean up the environment.....do something with a lot of people where you can socialize.....the more sociable you get the more confidence you will have

whatever you do, don't stay in your house for more than 2 hours....go outside and socialize....this will boost you confidence significantly and take you mind off worrying...

I know you will do fine.

Answer 8

exercise seems to work for me. any activity that can take your mind off of your deal and make you feel invigorated. sex, tennis, playing tackle football - whatever activity works for you where you will feel on top of the world.

Then when you get back to the deal at hand - map it out on paper.
your entrance, the questions that may be asked from your audience - then write down your answers to those questions and practice every potential outcome prior to the presentation.

I am telling you - nothing can take the edge off like preparation and stress relief.

Answer 9

Well, if you stress about a presentation then the odds are you'll get nervous and may botch it. If you don't stress about it, just do it because it needs to be done, then maybe you'll be fine. A good presentation, by itself, will naturallly improve your self-confidence.

Answer 10

hi, i always have that kind of issues for my job which requires me to do a lot of presentation, what i usually do is practice.. practice, practice and practice.. anywhere! bathroom while taking a shower, kitchen while eating supper.. bedroom.. anywhere.. then try to pick up some clothing that will support my confidence, then some more practice..
the result usually smooth presentation.., and another tips, don't be too stressed out about it.. take it easy

good luck! :))