Embracing a growth mindset can transform how you approach public speaking and help alleviate your fears. Personally, when I started working on my mindset, it was a game-changer.
What is a Growth Mindset?
Carol Dweck, a renowned psychologist, has extensively researched and written about the concept of growth mindset. In her TED Talk, “The Power of Believing That You Can Improve,” she explains that a growth mindset is the belief that your abilities can be developed through dedication, hard work, and the right strategies. This contrasts with a fixed mindset, which assumes that talents and abilities are innate and unchangeable.
According to Dweck, people with a growth mindset are more likely to embrace challenges, persist in the face of setbacks, see effort as a path to success, learn from criticism, and find inspiration in others’ successes. Her research shows that having a growth mindset can lead to greater achievement and ultimately a more fulfilling life.
Why is Mindset Important in The Context of Public speaking?
Because when you acknowledge that public speaking is not an innate talent but a skill that can be improved, you’re more likely to embrace the challenge and put in the work to improve your public speaking skills. Then with persistence and sustained efforts you’re more likely to see results.
Overcoming Public Speaking Nerves Involves Guts and Determination
Anyone who has experienced public speaking nerves knows that stepping onto that stage takes guts and determination. If you don’t believe you can improve, why would you put yourself through it? Maybe you don’t. That would make sense. Avoidance was definitely a tactic of mine for many years. But with a growth mindset, you understand that improvement is possible, even if it’s slow and gradual. You know that you absolutely can learn how to overcome your public speaking nerves.
When you believe this, you’re more likely to push yourself out of your comfort zone and take the regular and sustained action needed to become a more confident speaker. You’ll start to embrace challenges, recognising your efforts rather than just your results, and actively seek out opportunities to speak in public. Adopting this mindset helped me let go of the need for perfection, focusing instead on continuous improvement, no matter how small.
“You Don’t See Things As They Are, You See Them As You are“
How Do I Know If I Have a Growth Mindset?
Understanding this can significantly enhance how you approach challenges and achieve better outcomes in public speaking. To assess whether you have a growth mindset, take a moment to reflect on the following:
- What are your current public speaking challenges?
- What do you want to achieve with your public speaking?
Now, ask yourself:
- Do you think it’s possible to improve your public speaking skills and achieve your goals?
- Do you embrace opportunities to improve your public speaking?
- Do you see feedback as a chance to grow rather than taking it personally?
- Do you understand that perfect public speakers simply don’t exist?
- Do you believe that failure is part of the process and a way to learn and grow?
If you’ve mostly answered yes, then you likely have a growth mindset!
If you’ve mostly answered no, then don’t worry – this insight is valuable for guiding where to focus your efforts.
How to Shift Towards a Growth Mindset
From my own experience, I found that embracing a growth mindset was transformative; it helped me be much more objective about my efforts and ultimately the results. But how do you change your mindset? Start by shifting how you view learning, effort, and failure.
Here are 6 practical steps:
Self-Awarenes
In my experience, everything starts with self-awareness. The more you bring your thoughts and behaviours into conscious awareness, the more effectively you can change and adapt. Try to recognise when you’re displaying a fixed mindset, which might manifest as thoughts like, “I can’t do this” or “I always fail at public speaking because I’m just not good at it.” A growth mindset, on the other hand, might be reflected in thoughts like, “I often feel nervous during public speaking,” simply acknowledging the facts without criticism or judgement. Pay attention to your inner dialogue; understanding this is the first step to overcoming nerves.
2. Reframe Negative Thoughts
If you catch yourself engaging in negative self-talk, try replacing those thoughts with positive, growth-oriented ones. For example, change “I can’t do this” to “I can’t do this yet.” Carol Dweck’s research on growth mindset highlights the significance of the word “yet” in shifting from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. She suggests that adding “yet” to statements reinforces the idea that abilities and skills can be developed over time, reflecting the belief that improvement is possible with effort and persistence.
I believe that how we talk to ourselves massively influences our mindset. I know it did for me. Positive statements that align with a growth mindset—such as “I am improving with practice” or “I can develop this skill over time”—reinforce the belief in personal growth and encourage you to persevere. So, why not make it a habit to use kind, growth-oriented affirmations? Here are 10 affirmations to help overcome public speaking nerves. Why not give them a try?
3. View Challenges Positively
People with a growth mindset see challenges as opportunities to grow, learn, and develop. Allow yourself to make mistakes, there is no such thing as a perfect speaker, and it’s perfectly normal to feel nervous. This mindset switch alone can make a huge difference.
4. Change How You View Feedback
With a growth mindset, I’ve learned to see feedback as a valuable resource that I can use to help me improve my public speaking. But it’s important to recognise that not all feedback is equally useful. Research shows that women often face more unfair and harsh feedback compared to men. I remind myself that feedback isn’t a reflection of my self-worth or abilities; it’s simply information that may or may not be useful. If the feedback is specific, constructive, comes from someone I consider to be an expert, and aligns with my goals, then it’s a valuable way to help me improve.
5. Celebrate Effort, Not Just Results
It’s easy to get caught up in focusing solely on the outcome, but shifting your attention to the effort you put in and recognising your hard work can have a profound impact. It becomes less about delivering a perfect presentation and more about acknowledging the progress you’re making. Celebrate the small achievements, like stepping up to speak in the first place and not avoiding the chance to deliver a presentation. These small wins accumulate and gradually build your confidence.
6. Cultivate a Love of Learning
Staying curious and committed to learning is key. That might look like learning how to structure a speech or using new presentation tools or reading books, watching inspirational TED Talks, attending workshops.
For great insights into a growth mindset, check out “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” by Carol S. Dweck.
Embracing a Growth Mindset for Public Speaking Success
I’m convinced that mindset plays a crucial role in overcoming your fear of public speaking. When you believe that you can improve, that perfection isn’t necessary, and that putting in the effort is as valuable as the results you achieve, it helps reduce some of the pressure. This shift in mindset reassures your body that there is nothing to fear, which can, in turn, reduce the physical signs of nerves. So, if you’re fed up with feeling stuck, give it a try and see how a change in mindset can make a difference.
Further Support With Public Speaking
As a public speaking coach, I’ve seen countless individuals transform their fear into confidence. I used to struggle too, but through sustained effort and proven techniques, I conquered my nerves and found my voice. I want that for you too! Find out more about how to work with me here.
