What Are the Most Effective Ways to Build Public Speaking Confidence?

Have you ever stood in front of an audience, heart pounding, palms sweating, suddenly questioning every life decision that led you to this moment? Me, hand raised, I have!

Well, you’re not alone (at least you have me!). Public speaking nerves are real, even for elite athletes, CEOs, and performers used to pressure. So, why does public speaking feel so intimidating? 

We often think that confidence is something you are born with; elite athletes, CEOs, and performers who are “successful” (however we define it) just have it. However, confidence is actually a skill you build, like strength training or mastering a new routine. 

But let’s be honest: confidence isn’t just about practice. Confidence is shaped by experiences, culture, and even biases about who “belongs” in the spotlight.

What Even Is Public Speaking Confidence? 

Confidence is your belief in your ability to perform well, even under pressure. There is a difference between confidence and competence. Confidence is how you feel, whereas competence is what you do. Both can improve with practice!

There are many reasons why people struggle with public speaking confidence:

• Fear of Judgment: There is often a worry about looking unqualified, awkward, or just plain bad in front of whoever might be in the audience. 

• Perfectionism: Many high performers describe themselves as perfectionists, which bleeds over to public speaking. There can be a mentality that if it’s not flawless, it’s a failure (spoiler: not true!). 

• Lack of Experience: If you rarely speak in public, it feels unnatural, and confidence is likely a struggle. 

• Systemic Barriers: Various identities and backgrounds, such as gender, race, or having an accent or disability, can impact speakers' perceptions. These barriers can be at the top of someone's mind, negatively impacting their confidence. 

So, if confidence doesn’t just happen, how do you build it? Let’s break it down.

Confidence Starts with Preparation (But Not Perfection!)

Know Your Material

If you don’t know your material, your brain will more likely spiral into panic mode. So, become very familiar with your material. Kind of like how a figure skater runs their program until it becomes muscle memory, knowing your material helps build that “muscle memory,” improving the ability to perform under pressure. 

Practice, But Not Word-for-Word

Memorizing every word of a speech makes it more likely to make a mistake (since there is a “wrong” answer) and makes any slip-ups feel catastrophic. Instead of rote memorization, focusing on key points can help you adapt naturally to any variations in word choice throughout. 

I recently did this for a keynote to 300 student-athletes; I practiced three times but never said the exact same thing each time. However, even if the wording was different during the speech, I know I hit all my key points!

Record and Review (Yes, Even If It’s Cringe-Worthy)

I know watching yourself on tape is hard (like, really hard). In my training to become a psychologist, every single therapy session I led for SIX YEARS was recorded and often watched by me or my supervisor (or even both of us at the same time, cringe!). 

However, this torture (I mean practice) helped my skills as a therapist improve dramatically. Watching yourself give a speech can help you pinpoint strengths and areas to tweak. So, even if it is hard, it is worth trying out!

Plan for the Unexpected

You know your material, practiced a ton, and watched a recording, but things can still happen the day of. What if the mic stops working? Or you forget an essential point? Just like athletes train for game-day surprises, speakers can prepare for tech issues, challenging questions, and distractions. 

In the recent talk I gave, I thought through a few different ways things could go wrong (e.g., a volunteer participant doesn’t listen to instructions, my demonstration doesn’t work) and thought about how I could navigate the situation (and even some jokes I could tell to make the glitch less awkward!).

Mindset Shifts that Change the Game

Nervousness = Energy, Not Doom

I’m not a big roller coaster rider, but if I am in a circumstance where I am in line for a roller coaster, I feel anxious and afraid. However, could it also be excitement for the adrenaline rush and the joy I will feel for doing the hard thing after getting off the ride? I think so!

It is often difficult to distinguish between excitement and fear because our bodies react the same way - pounding heart, sweaty palms, and increased breathing rate. So, instead of saying to yourself, “I’m terrified,” before a public speaking engagement, try reframing to something like, “I’m excited to share this.” See what happens with that slight shift!

Leave Perfectionism Behind

As much as we wish it weren’t the case, no one delivers a perfect speech. Rather than aiming for robotic flawlessness, strive for connection. Even mistakes can lead to connection because they prove you are human.

Remember Jennifer Lawrence’s trip up the stage at the Academy Awards? This seemingly catastrophic mistake helped endear her to new fans and increase her fame and reputation as a “girl-next-door” even more. 

Talk to Yourself Like You Would a Friend

Many of us are mean to ourselves when we make a mistake. We might tell ourselves we “suck” or are a “terrible speaker.” But we would never say something so rude to a friend! If a friend or loved one made a mistake during a speech, you would likely be kind, encouraging, and accepting. 

So, we can replace the mean things we say to ourselves, like “I’m terrible at this,” with something much kinder like, “I’m learning to be a stronger speaker.”

How to Look (and Feel) Confident - Before Even Saying a Word

Power Posing

It seems silly to think that standing in a certain way can help us look and feel more confident, but power posing can work. If you have an open posture, people will see you as more confident, and their engagement can help boost your confidence. 

So, keep your shoulders back, chin up, and hands relaxed (try to avoid awkward fidgeting if you can!). 

Eye Contact Without the Intensity

While giving a sweeping scan of the room is better than not looking into the audience at all (so seriously, if this is where you are at in your public speaking journey, please continue to do so!), it can be more engaging for yourself and your audience to connect with one person at a time. 

Making eye contact with specific individuals helps audience members feel like you see them (because you actually are), increasing their buy-in to your talk. However, make it a kind stare and not a death stare. 

Slow Down (Seriously, Breathe. Now Breathe Again.)

Rushing through your speech makes the nerves worse. You feel more anxious, and your audience picks up on these feelings. The more you pause for impact (and use those times as a moment to inhale-exhale-inhale-exhale), the better off you will be. 

I struggle with this, so I am continuously working on it. In graduate school, we learn how to use therapeutic silence to help clients progress toward their goals. Similarly, you can use silence in a speech to emphasize a point or give the audience time to reflect.

Exposure “Therapy”

Often, the last thing you want to hear is that the more you do scary things, the less frightening they will become. Sorry, but I’m telling you this now–the more you speak publicly, the easier it will be. Fortunately, there are some ways to make this exposure “therapy” a little bit easier. 

Start Small

The best way to gain confidence in public speaking is to start small. Rather than presenting to 100+ people, start by speaking up in small team meetings or practicing reading aloud. These small steps build comfort, and with time, you can challenge yourself to speak to larger and larger groups. 

Ask for Feedback

Asking for feedback can be a valuable way to build confidence, but make sure you only ask for feedback from people you trust and who want you to succeed. Consider asking trusted peers, coaches, mentors, or friends. 

The night before I gave my talk to 300+ student-athletes, I did a “dress rehearsal” for my husband, and he gave me some valuable feedback that I could use to tweak my actual talk for the next day. Having this run-through the night before for an audience (aka my husband) helped me go into my talk feeling more confident!

Find Supportive Spaces

There are specific groups (like Toastmasters) that can help you practice public speaking, but not everyone has a group near them. You can also look online for virtual communities or even start a group with some friends or colleagues who also want to improve their public speaking!

It’s imperative to remember that public speaking confidence isn’t just about practice–it’s also about opportunity. Not everyone gets the same encouragement or access to speaking roles.

The Bigger Picture: Public Speaking & Inclusion

Not All Speakers Are Judged Equally

Many identities and backgrounds impact audience perceptions, such as race, gender, disability, and accents. For example, women and marginalized groups often get interrupted more or judged more harshly. 

Imposter Syndrome Hits Harder in Underrepresented Spaces

If you don’t see people like you speaking confidently, it’s easy to feel like you “don’t belong.” To combat this, seek role models, challenge internalized biases (e.g., you’re not the problem; society is), and remind yourself that your perspective is valuable. 

Representation Matters–So Be the Change

If you don’t see many people like you speaking to large audiences or even giving an opinion in team meetings, consider stepping into that space yourself (while also acknowledging how tough it can be!). Every time a diverse speaker steps up, it helps normalize different voices. 

Conclusion: Confidence Grows with Every Rep

Remember that you do not have to get rid of nerves or anxiety with public speaking and that most people feel anxious in these situations. The real key is to trust yourself despite these uncomfortable feelings.

Confidence isn’t about being flawless; it’s about showing up and getting better each time (just like in sports or other high-performance activities!). 

The final takeaway? Confidence is built–not born. Every time you speak, you gain essential skills and level your confidence.

Ready to build real confidence, not just fake it 'til you make it? Work with our sport psychology team to strengthen your public speaking skills—one rep at a time.

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