I was going to receive an award that also required a speech
in front of a big crowd. I was extremely
nervous pacing around in the back of the room when my mentor came up to me and
said., “calm down, relax, and take some deep breaths”. When I heard my name being called for the
award I kept thinking of my mentors’ words to stay calm and be relaxed. Now I wonder did my mentor give me the
correct advice.
Alison Woods Brooks, a professor at Harvard, asked students
to give a persuasive speech. She gave
them two minutes to prepare, which made many of the students visibly
shake. When Brooks asked 300
professionals what advice they would give these students 90% agreed with my
mentor in saying that they would tell them to relax.
Before the students gave the speech (quick
video) she randomly asked them to say three words. One group would say “I am calm” and another
group would say “I am excited”. What
impact did that one word have on the outcome?
When students used the word excited 17% of the student’s speeches were
rated more persuasive and 15% more confident.
Now will these same reframing work in other areas. Brooks tried this with students facing a
difficult math test. She again randomly
assigned the students and found similar results. When students stated that they were excited
to take the test they scored 22% better than students who did not say anything
at all or who said I am calm.
Why does this work.
When you state that you are excited about something you are turning the
negative anxiety into a positive emotion which allows you to perform better. When you state that you are excited you are
changing your mindset from threatening to a mindset of opportunity.
So next time you feel that anxiety building before a test,
speech, interview or even a date remind yourself that you are excited.
As always your thoughts and feedback are welcome.
Speaking in front of a big crowd has never come naturally to me. I get very nervous and tend to speed up my speech in an attempt to just get it all over with. I have sstarted to talk myself down from my anxiety in these situations with saying that I am calm and there is nothing to worry about. This has helped me significantly when speaking to a large or small group of people. I can see why the students speeches came across as more confident.
ReplyDelete- Stephen Ryan
I personally believe that motivation is built through habit, and through habit, many other skills are built as a result.I find that anxiety is the result of inexperience. The inverse of inexperience is of course, habit, therefore with enough practice anyone can overcome anxiety.
ReplyDelete- John Basmaci
Stephen, if you ask 1,000 people what they fear the most speaking in front of crowds would be at the top of the list. So it is normal to be nervous, what is amazing is that we can take that nervousness and turn it into a positive. John, I have spoken in front of people for a long time now and I still get nervous. My guess is Tom Brady was nervous before the Super Bowl, when something is important to us we get nervous but I agree with you that experience allows you to channel those nerves for positive outcomes. Thanks both of you for responding
ReplyDeleteIn my youth I wasn’t able to speak till four years old, but my parents always say that once I started speaking I didn’t stop. I never noticed how hard public speaking was for the majority of the population. It always came so easily for me that I never even thought that it was such a problem for others. I don’t know what makes me such a fearless public speaker, but I have a few hypotheses. Anyone who knows me knows I am an optimistic person. Going by the information in the video, a person who is optimistic will see all of the good possibility and opportunities that could come from that speech. This is probably a trait that plays into going into a speech with a good mindset. The other trait I think plays into being a good public speaker is confidence. I have a metric ton of confidence. So much so that people have called me abrasive because I will say anything I think. I also do not care on how others judge me. When you have a mindset like that even if bad thoughts, like you messing up midway through that act, creep in, those thoughts just don’t have as much weight as they usually would.
ReplyDeleteWait do I really have to label my name.
I mean okay I guess I will, just because others are doing that same
-Ryan Callahan
Personally, I have always subconsciously tried to be more excited about activities to calm myself down, even if it was something that I knew fully that I did not want to do. I realized this when I got into Lacrosse. My position of being a goalie on the team details my main job of hard rubber balls traveling upwards of 80mpg constantly hitting you for the rest of the team, this is not very fun and outright painful, especially in practices when your teammates are inflicting the discomfort. I have always tried not to calm myself down before games, but instead visualize what I am going to do and get excited about it.
ReplyDelete-Henry Jones
Personally, I allow the nerves to pump me up before a big game or even a public speech. The nerves allow me to channel my energy and focus at the task in hand. I do have to talk myself down to an extent and be sure I am not too energetic. I am sure to tell myself that the nerves will go as I get comfortable taking my test, playing my game or giving my speech. Being able to channel my nerves is super helpful in stressful moments and allows me to be loose in the times I need to be.
ReplyDelete- Griffin Ackley
This is 100% true for me. I never like the feeling of anxiety, it messes with my head, and I don't perform as well. But when I hype myself up before a test, saying with confidence that I am ready, I always end up doing a little better than the last time I was nervous about the test. In my opinion when you are scared for the test or speech, you relax yourself, slowing your heart rate, but when you get excited, your blood flows, and all of your ideas start to flow to your brain.
ReplyDelete-Andrew King
I found this article very relatable. I have, time and time again, been told to calm myself when giving a big presentation or taking an exam; so much so that I have started telling myself this every single time I have a big event. This article really changed my perspective on this. Now instead of trying to calm down, I will act excited to take on my next big assignment.
ReplyDelete- Will Cook
In the example of public speaking many people, myself included, get very anxious and nervous about talking in front of a large crowd. However, by telling yourself your excited to do something, you turn that dread and anxiety into a motivator, that will make you more likely to be excited for something, rather than to dread it. being excited for something mean you can’t wait to get out there, while telling yourself to stay calm, you just reassure the fact that what your about to do stressful and out of the norm. I believe you should try to be excited for something rather then be fearful of it.
ReplyDelete--Zach Howard
This article is very close to home to me. I have really bad anxiety and when it comes to speeches in public it has never come naturally. I try and tell myself to calm down but usually it doesn't work. This article helps me know that i am not alone and a lot of other people feel this too.
ReplyDelete-- Anthony Perrera
I completely agree with the fact that being excited is something that will motivate you to speak more fluently and confidently. The only thing that i have to disagree with is the fact that if you simply just say "i am excited" it will help you do better. i feel like the big difference would be to do something that makes you excited to give the speech rather than a fake excitement
ReplyDelete--Collin Stewart