People often ask me if I still get nervous before giving a keynote. My answer is always the same. "Absolutely."
I've delivered hundreds of keynote speeches over the years, and I still feel butterflies before I walk on stage. If you're nervous before giving a presentation, welcome to the club. Public speaking has consistently ranked as one of the greatest fears people face, and I don't think that's ever going to change.
Standing in front of a room full of people, knowing they have given you their time and attention, is a tremendous responsibility.
What I've learned over the years is that the goal isn't to eliminate your nervousness. The goal is to understand it. Nervousness is your body's way of preparing you to do something extraordinary. It's getting you supercharged so you can help supercharge others. Once I understood that, I stopped fighting my nerves and started using them as fuel.
Another question I get asked all the time is, "What's the secret to becoming a great speaker?" People assume there must be one technique or one trick that separates good speakers from great ones. There isn't.
Great speaking starts long before you ever step onto a stage. It continues while you're on stage, and perhaps most importantly, it continues after the audience has gone home. Becoming a better speaker isn't about memorizing words or trying to sound perfect. It's about learning how to connect with people, serve them well, and continually improve your craft.
Over the years, I've developed a simple framework that guides every delivery as a motivational keynote speaker.
Whether I'm speaking to a leadership team, a sales organization, a room full of entrepreneurs, or students preparing for their future, I think about speaking in three phases:
Before the speech
During the speech
After the speech
Each phase has its own purpose. Each one requires preparation, intention, and practice. More importantly, each one provides an opportunity to become a better leader because that's what speaking really is.
Speaking is leadership.
Your job isn't to impress an audience. Your job is to help them. If you can help people think differently, believe differently, or take one meaningful action because of something you shared, then you've done your job.
The following lessons have been shaped by hundreds of keynote speeches, plenty of mistakes, countless hours of practice, and a lifelong passion for helping people become the very best version of themselves.
My hope is that these speaking tips help you become a more confident communicator, a more authentic leader, and most importantly, someone whose message truly makes a difference.
One of the biggest misconceptions about public speaking is that the speech begins when you walk on stage.
It doesn't.
The speech begins long before anyone introduces you. Great speaking is won in your preparation, and that preparation has very little to do with memorizing words. In fact, one of the biggest mistakes speakers make is trying to memorize every sentence. If you focus on remembering every word, you'll spend your time worrying about what comes next instead of connecting with the audience in front of you.
Instead, remember your structure and your themes.
NO MEMORIZING WORDS.
Every speech should be built around one to three key themes. Those themes are your message, and everything else should support them. If a story, fact, statistic, or example doesn't reinforce your message, leave it out. Your audience doesn't need more information. They need more clarity.
Start With the End in Mind
Before I ever begin building a keynote, I answer one simple question: "What's in it for the audience?"
How are you going to help them?
Make the answer to that question your mission as you take the stage. I want you confident and courageous in serving the audience. The more you give to them, the more they will give back to you in the form of listening. For this to work, you must know what the audience wants.
As you prepare your speech, envision the outcome before you ever step onto the stage.
Ask yourself:
What do I want this audience to learn?
How do I want them to feel?
What actions do I hope they take?
What would I love to hear them say after the presentation?
When you begin with the end in mind, your preparation becomes much more intentional because every story, every lesson, and every example is working toward that outcome.
One of the greatest responsibilities of any speaker is making the message memorable.
Your message may sound simple to you because you've been living with it for weeks, months, or perhaps years. For most people in your audience, this is the very first time they've heard it. If an audience can't remember your message, then they can't use your message.
That is why I love memory aids.
Use acronyms.
Use mantras.
Use metaphors.
Use alliteration.
Use stories.
Use vivid pictures.
Repeat your key ideas multiple times throughout your presentation. Don't assume people heard it the first time. Repetition isn't redundancy when it helps people remember something that can improve their lives.
The simpler the message, the more likely people are to carry it with them long after they leave the room.
One lesson I've learned from years of speaking is that every audience contains three kinds of listeners.
Some connect logically.
Some connect emotionally.
Some connect visually.
Facts satisfy the logical listener. Stories connect with the emotional listener.
Pictures, demonstrations, and descriptive storytelling help the visual learner see what you're talking about.
Whenever possible, speak to all three. The more senses you engage, the more memorable your message becomes.
Stories are one of the greatest gifts a speaker has.
The more personal the story, the more people connect with it. Don't be afraid to tell the stories only you can tell. Those are the stories that make you memorable because they come from your heart instead of someone else's experience.
When you tell a story, own it. Put your audience inside the story. Set the scene. Be descriptive.
Help them see what you saw. Help them feel what you felt.
Use your pace, vocal variety, facial expressions, and gestures to bring the story to life. Great storytelling isn't about entertaining people. It's about helping them experience the lesson with you.
Giving a speech is an athletic event.
You'll be moving, thinking, reacting, and using a tremendous amount of energy over a relatively short period of time. Prepare yourself accordingly.
Wear clothing that makes you feel comfortable and confident. You're not trying out for a fashion show. You're trying to help people remember your message. If your clothes distract you, they'll distract from your message.
Fuel your body before you speak. I like eating a light snack about 45 minutes beforehand, somewhere around 150 to 250 calories. Keep it low in sugar so you don't experience a crash. Don't overdo the caffeine or water either. When people get nervous, their bodies naturally want to flush fluids, so there's no need to make that challenge any harder.
One of my favorite ways to practice is by going for a walk with earbuds in. Walking simulates your movements on stage. Learning to walk and talk helps drive your message home because your body begins rehearsing the presentation the same way it will deliver it.
Whenever possible, spend time with your audience before you speak. Sit with them. Talk to them. Learn why they're attending the conference, what's keeping them up at night, and how your message connects with the conference theme. The more you realize they're just like you and me, the less intimidating they become. They're not there to judge you. They're there because they want to learn something that can help them.
Read more about this topic of Turning Pro on my blog.
Right before I speak, I remind myself why I'm there.
Repeat after me: "I have something useful to help the audience." "I'm here to help." "I got this." "I CAN DO IT!"
Find a mantra that connects with you and repeat it before you walk on stage. It will help you focus your mind and calm your nerves. Most importantly, don't fear your nervousness.
It's normal.
Nervousness is your body's way of preparing you to do something extraordinary. It's getting you supercharged so you can help supercharge others. Once you understand that, you stop trying to eliminate your nerves and start using them as fuel to better serve your audience.
Once you step on stage, your job isn't to impress the audience. Your job is to connect with them.
People won't remember every statistic, every quote, or every slide you show. What they'll remember is how you made them feel. Before you can teach someone, you must first earn their attention, and the fastest way to do that is by being genuine.
One of the first things I remind myself before speaking is to breathe.
Have you ever noticed how many speakers get cotton mouth in the first few minutes of a presentation? Most people assume it's because they're thirsty.
It usually isn't.
Cotton mouth is often your body's response to nervousness. When we get nervous, we tend to hold our breath without even realizing it. The easiest way to overcome that is to take a big breath before you begin.
I also like opening with a big, energetic greeting. "GOOD MORNING!" "HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING?"
That opening forces a strong exhale, helps settle your breathing, and immediately brings energy into the room. Remember, your audience will often mirror your energy. If you sound excited to be there, they'll become excited to listen.
One of my favorite speaking techniques is something I simply call: Confess.
Confession creates connection because it makes you human.
Don't be afraid to admit that you were nervous. Share a mistake you've made. Talk about a failure, a setback, or a lesson you learned the hard way. Audiences don't expect perfection. They appreciate authenticity.
Some of the strongest moments in my keynotes come when I share times I failed, doubted myself, or struggled. Those moments remind people that leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about continuing to move forward while you're still figuring things out.
When people see your humanity, they're much more willing to trust your message.
One of the biggest mistakes speakers make is trying to speak to the entire audience all at once.
Instead, seek people in the audience who are listening to you.
Find someone making eye contact. Deliver a sentence or two directly to them. Then move to another person.
Eventually you'll work your way around the room, and everyone will feel like you spoke directly to them.
That simple shift changes everything. Instead of giving a speech, it starts feeling like you're having a conversation. Audiences respond to conversations far better than performances.
Your body is speaking long before your words arrive.
Imagine watching yourself without any sound. Would your audience still understand what was important?
Great speakers use their entire body to communicate. Walk with purpose. Pause when something deserves emphasis. Change your pace and vary your volume. Let your facial expressions match the emotion of your story. When you're excited, let people see it. When you're telling a difficult story, allow yourself to slow down and let the audience sit in that moment with you.
Everything you do on stage should reinforce your message.
Stories are not interruptions to your speech. They are the speech.
As you tell a story, put your audience inside it. Help them visualize the setting. Let them feel the uncertainty, excitement, humor, or struggle that you experienced. Slow down when the story needs emotion. Speed up when it needs energy. Don't rush to the lesson. Let the audience experience the journey before revealing what you learned.
The more personal the story, the more your audience will connect with it.
People may forget your statistics.
They won't forget how your story made them feel.
One of the greatest gifts you can give an audience is your full attention.
Don't worry about what slide comes next. Don't think about the next story. Don't replay the sentence you wish you had said differently. Stay present.
Listen to your audience. Notice when they're laughing. Notice when they're leaning forward. Notice when they're confused. Great speakers don't simply deliver presentations. They constantly adapt to the room in front of them.
Remember, speaking isn't about performing. It's about serving.
If you stay focused on helping the audience instead of trying to impress them, you'll naturally become more authentic, more confident, and more effective. That's when speaking stops feeling like a performance and starts becoming leadership.
Many people think the speech ends when you walk off the stage.
I think that's where your growth as a speaker really begins.
Every keynote, presentation, or team meeting is another opportunity to learn. The best speakers I've met are not the ones who think they have it all figured out. They're the ones who are always looking for one more way to improve.
One of my favorite reminders is that there are always three speeches.
The speech you practiced.
The speech you gave.
The speech you wish you had given.
Those three speeches are rarely identical, and that's okay.
Don't spend your time beating yourself up over the difference. Instead, use it as one of your greatest learning opportunities. Ask yourself what worked well, where the audience leaned in, where they laughed, where they became emotional, and where you lost them. Every speech provides valuable feedback if you're willing to study it honestly.
Professional speakers don't chase perfection. They chase improvement.
Before you critique yourself, compliment yourself.
You just did something that most people will never do.
You stood in front of a room full of people and shared your thoughts, experiences, and lessons. That takes courage.
Too often we're our own toughest critics. We immediately replay every mistake while completely overlooking everything that went well. Give yourself credit for showing up and serving the audience.
Confidence doesn't come from never making mistakes.
Confidence comes from knowing you're willing to keep getting better.
Read a similar concept in my article "Who Are You Becoming?"
Remember what I said earlier? Giving a speech is an athletic event. You've likely spent days preparing, your adrenaline has been elevated throughout the presentation, and now your body is ready to come back down.
Take care of yourself. Drink water. Eat something healthy. Take a few deep breaths.
Find a quiet place for a few minutes before jumping into your next meeting or conversation. Recovery is part of preparation because every speech is helping you get ready for the next one.
Some of the best coaching you'll ever receive comes from the people you just served.
Listen carefully to their comments and questions. Pay attention to what resonated most. Notice which stories people bring up when they come talk to you afterward. Those conversations often reveal what mattered most to the audience.
At the same time, don't let one critical comment erase the impact you had on everyone else.
Our minds naturally remember criticism more than compliments, but don't lose sight of the people who tell you your message helped them. If even one person leaves thinking differently because of your presentation, your speech made a difference.
One of the greatest habits you can develop is keeping a speaking journal.
After every presentation, write down what worked well and identify one thing you want to improve before your next speech.
Just one. Don't try to fix everything at once.
Small improvements, compounded over dozens and eventually hundreds of presentations, lead to remarkable growth. That's how confidence is built. That's how great speakers are made.
I also encourage you to study other speakers. Watch politicians, coaches, business leaders, pastors, comedians, and keynote speakers. Ask yourself what they're doing well. Imagine how you would tell the same story or explain the same lesson. Great speakers are lifelong students of communication.
Never stop learning. Never stop refining your craft. Never stop looking for ways to better serve your audience.
Because every speech you give is preparing you for the next opportunity to make an even greater impact.
Great speakers are built one presentation at a time. They prepare with intention, serve the audience, reflect afterward, and then do it again.
Speaking is leadership. Whether you are addressing ten people around a table or thousands from a stage, someone has trusted you with their time. Honor that trust by giving them your best.
Do not worry about being perfect or sounding like someone else. Be yourself. Tell the stories only you can tell. Share the lessons only you have learned. Focus on serving instead of performing.
The next time you feel nervous before taking the stage, remember this: your audience is not hoping you fail. They are hoping you help.
Speak from your heart. Lead with purpose. Keep improving. That is what becoming an Unstoppable speaker is all about.
Go Be Unstoppable. CHARLIE MIKE.
Alden