Public speaking is easy…

…when you connect your values and passion to what you’re talking about.

But for most people (myself included), public speaking is not easy. It can be overwhelming, uncomfortable, even panic-inducing — especially when you’re being asked to speak on something that doesn’t reflect who you are.

But it can get easier. A lot easier.

Recently, I’ve been working with a client who finds public speaking incredibly overwhelming yet has to do it regularly in her role.

For her, going “off script” in a presentation or even a momentary lapse in confidence would cause her anxiety to spike so sharply that she sometimes experienced speech loss or had to leave the room entirely. She was convinced she was “just bad at public speaking.”

But she isn’t.

Once we explored her strengths, something became clear: when she focused her presentations on the aspects she is passionate about, the parts aligned with her values, she became a confident, compelling speaker. Natural. Engaged. Warm. Clear.

I wish you could hear her. She’s that good.

Speaking wasn’t the problem, the context was - the style, format, and vocabulary she felt she needed to force herself into.

Together, we developed strategies to help her bring that grounded confidence into everyday situations:

• Anchoring to her “why” - shifting from the parts she felt nothing for to the impact she cared deeply about.

 • Recording presentations in advance - especially in situations of high sensory overwhelm or anticipated discomfort.

 • Handling unexpected moments in meetings - using quick regulation techniques to dampen panic, slow the mind, and speak clearly even without preparation.

The smile on her face when she realised she could show up in these ways was one of genuine liberation. She breathed. The weight she’d been carrying for years seemed to fall away. The difference this has made in her life has been huge.

She has even volunteered, albeit slightly grudgingly, to give the welcome speech at her companies next big event. 

You see, when we speak about something connected to our intrinsic motivation, personal values, or authentic identity, we reduce cognitive load, boost emotional regulation, and increase confidence. When something matters to us, the prefrontal cortex works with us, not against us, making fluency, memory, and composure far easier to access.

This is the careers coaching work I love: helping people unlock confidence, belief, and capability by building from who they already are, and leading to long-term, lasting change.

#InnerHero #Careers #CareersCoaching  #PublicSpeaking #Presentations