Stay Clear When You Are Nervous
Thirty-two easy ways to stay clear when you are nervous, so your message lands even with a racing heart.
Nerves are normal. Clear is still possible.
40 tips that really help
These ideas come from The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking (Dale Carnegie), Talk Like TED (Carmine Gallo), Made to Stick (Chip and Dan Heath), and everyday practice. Pick one tip and try it today.
Nerves are normal
Nearly everyone speeds up, tightens and stumbles a little when nervous. The goal is not to remove nerves but to stay clear while you have them.
Tell yourself, “I can be nervous and clear.”
Slow your pace
The first sign of nerves is speed. Consciously slow down by ten percent and everything else eases.
Aim for a calm pace in the first minute.
Breathe low
Nervous breathing is high and shallow. Breathing into your belly steadies your voice.
Take five slow breaths before you speak.
Lengthen your exhale
Breathing out longer than in calms the body. Use four in, six out.
Do four rounds before you start.
Prepare your first sentence
The first sentence is the hardest. Write it and memorise it.
Say it five times.
Use cue cards
Notes help when nerves wipe the mind. Keep key words visible.
Prepare a small card.
Plant your feet
A steady stance calms the body. Stand with feet hip-width apart.
Feel the floor.
Relax your shoulders
Tense shoulders tighten the voice. Drop them.
Roll your shoulders back.
Relax your jaw
A loose jaw gives clearer speech. Yawn gently.
Open your mouth wide once.
Warm your voice
Hum and say your first line aloud before you start.
Warm up for one minute.
Shake out tension
Shake your hands and arms for fifteen seconds. It discharges energy.
Do it in private.
Keep water close
Sips give pauses and relieve dry mouth.
Place water within reach.
Pause before key points
A pause steadies you and gives weight.
Pause on purpose.
Use short sentences
Short sentences are easier when nervous. Keep it simple.
Cut sentence length.
Use simple words
Complex words are harder to say under stress. Choose easy ones.
Swap a long word.
Look at friendly faces
Find one or two kind faces and speak to them. It makes the audience feel smaller.
Pick your friendly faces.
Speak to one person at a time
Direct each sentence to one person. It feels like conversation.
Move your gaze between people.
Smile
A smile relaxes your face and warms your voice.
Smile at the start.
Name the feeling
“I am a bit nervous” said lightly can ease tension. Do not dwell.
Say it once, kindly.
Reframe nerves as energy
Say, “I am excited.” Energy helps delivery, as research by Alison Wood Brooks suggests.
Say it aloud.
Move a little
Natural movement releases energy. Step or gesture.
Take one step on a new point.
Use your hands
Gestures help words flow. Let your hands speak.
Add two gestures.
Stay with your plan
Stick to your prepared structure. Do not improvise wildly.
Follow your outline.
Do not rush the start
The first thirty seconds set the pace. Take your time.
Count to three before speaking.
Do not read fast
If you read from notes, slow down and look up.
Read a sentence and look up.
Do not apologise
Start with confidence. Skip “sorry”.
Say “Thank you” instead.
Do not fight shaking hands
Hold notes steady against a lectern or lower them. Do not worry.
Rest your hands.
Do not fight a shaky voice
It usually settles in the first minute. Breathe and continue.
Wait for it to settle.
Practise under mild stress
Rehearse in front of one friend. Pressure in practice helps.
Practise with a friend.
Practise in the real room
Familiarity reduces nerves. Visit if possible.
Rehearse in the venue.
Prepare for blanks
Know your recovery plan. A plan reduces fear.
Review the blank plan.
Prepare your ending
End confidently. Memorise your last line.
Say it aloud.
Use a ritual
A short routine before speaking calms. Repeat it.
Create a pre-talk ritual.
Sleep and eat
A rested, fed body is calmer. Look after the basics.
Eat a light meal.
Avoid too much caffeine
Caffeine can raise jitters. Moderate it.
Limit coffee.
Reflect afterwards
Note what worked. Learn.
Write two lines.
Celebrate bravery
Speaking nervously is brave. Be proud.
Say, “I did it.”
Choose one clear target
Pick a single thing to be clear about, such as your first sentence or your main point, and make that the one thing you protect when nerves hit. Everything else can wobble.
Decide the one sentence you must say clearly before you start.
Use the audience's kindness
Most listeners are rooting for you, because they know how hard it is. Imagining a room of supportive faces rather than judges often steadies your voice more than any technique.
Picture the room wishing you well just before you speak.
Stay with the next sentence
Nerves pull your mind to the end of the talk or to how it is going. Bring your attention back to only the sentence you are saying now, then the next one.
Say silently, “Just this sentence,” each time your mind runs ahead.
Easy things to say
When you are stuck, pick one of these. They work in many everyday situations.
“I am going to take one breath.â€
“Let me say this slowly.â€
“The main point is simple.â€
“One moment, please.â€
“Thank you for your patience.â€
“That was my point.â€
Your first week
One small action a day. Each day is only a little bigger than the last.
Breathe
Slow down
Plan first line
Speak short
Pause
Focus on one person
Finish
Further reading
- The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking (Dale Carnegie)
- Talk Like TED (Carmine Gallo)
- Made to Stick (Chip and Dan Heath)
The tips above are written in our own words and are general guidance. The books are suggestions for further reading.
More lessons in “Speaking Clearly”
Keep going. Small steps every day make a big change.
← Previous: Practise With a Voice RecorderNext: Speak Clearly When Put on the Spot →
- Slow Down by Ten Percent
- Speak From Your Belly, Not Your Throat
- The Magic of the Pause
- End Sentences Like You Mean Them
- Warm Up Your Voice in One Minute
- Find Your Natural Volume
- Vary Your Tone to Keep Attention
- Use Words a Ten-Year-Old Would Understand
- Short Sentences Sound Confident
- Cut Jargon and Filler Words
- Lead With Your Main Point
- Say One Idea at a Time
- Replace Vague Words With Exact Ones
- Read Your Words Out Loud First
- Open Your Mouth and Speak Clearly
- Stop Mumbling in Three Steps
- Pronounce Hard Words With Confidence
- Breathe at the Right Moments
- Speak Clearly on the Phone
- Speak Clearly on Video Calls
- Handle an Accent With Pride
- The Point, Reason, Example Formula
- The Rule of Three
- Start With Why It Matters
- Tell a Short Story Instead
- Use Numbers and Pictures Wisely
- Finish With One Clear Takeaway
- Answer a Question in Thirty Seconds
- Replace Um With a Silent Pause
- What to Do When You Lose Your Thought
- Recover From a Mistake Smoothly
- Stop Over-Explaining
- Stop Apologising Before You Speak
- Practise With a Voice Recorder
- Stay Clear When You Are Nervous
- Speak Clearly When Put on the Spot
- Explain Something Complicated Simply
- Speak Clearly in an Argument
- Speak Clearly to Someone Senior
- Your Daily Clarity Habit
