How connecting with why you’re speaking can help you feel more confident.
Why does it matter?
speak with purpose guide
You’ve prepared your presentation. You know your content. You’ve practised what you want to say.
But then the moment gets closer and the nerves start to build.
Your heart races. Your mind starts questioning everything. What if I forget what I want to say? What if people judge me? What if I’m not good enough?
When we feel nervous about speaking, it’s easy for our attention to turn inward. We start focusing on ourselves - how we sound, how we look and what other people might think.
But there is another place to focus.
Why you’re speaking.
But then the moment gets closer and the nerves start to build.
Your heart races. Your mind starts questioning everything. What if I forget what I want to say? What if people judge me? What if I’m not good enough?
When we feel nervous about speaking, it’s easy for our attention to turn inward. We start focusing on ourselves - how we sound, how we look and what other people might think.
But there is another place to focus.
Why you’re speaking.
why finding your purpose can help when nerves take over
In the early days of giving presentations, I focused on all the things I thought would help me become a better speaker - structure, clarity, timing and delivery.
But something was missing. I knew what I was saying and how I wanted to say it, but I hadn’t stopped to ask myself why it mattered.
When you’re clear on why you’re speaking, your focus starts to shift.
Instead of thinking only about whether you’re getting everything right, you can focus on your message, your audience and what you want them to take away.
Your nerves may still be there, but they don’t have to take over.
But something was missing. I knew what I was saying and how I wanted to say it, but I hadn’t stopped to ask myself why it mattered.
When you’re clear on why you’re speaking, your focus starts to shift.
Instead of thinking only about whether you’re getting everything right, you can focus on your message, your audience and what you want them to take away.
Your nerves may still be there, but they don’t have to take over.
WHY your reason for speaking matters
Speaking can feel uncomfortable because it often puts us in a position where we feel visible. We worry about making mistakes, being judged or not coming across how we want to.
I noticed this in my own experience. When I wasn’t particularly connected to the topic or the outcome, it was much harder to find the motivation to push through the nerves. The fear felt bigger because I wasn’t always clear on why I was putting myself in that uncomfortable situation.
But when I organised and hosted an event for International Women’s Day, something shifted.
The nerves were still there. I still had the same worries and doubts. But I cared deeply about the topic, the message and what the event could achieve. Because it mattered to me, I had an extra reason to step forward and do it anyway.
Knowing why you’re speaking gives you something stronger to focus on.
You’re not standing there because you have to be perfect.
You’re standing there because the topic matters, the outcome matters, and what you’re trying to achieve is important.
I noticed this in my own experience. When I wasn’t particularly connected to the topic or the outcome, it was much harder to find the motivation to push through the nerves. The fear felt bigger because I wasn’t always clear on why I was putting myself in that uncomfortable situation.
But when I organised and hosted an event for International Women’s Day, something shifted.
The nerves were still there. I still had the same worries and doubts. But I cared deeply about the topic, the message and what the event could achieve. Because it mattered to me, I had an extra reason to step forward and do it anyway.
Knowing why you’re speaking gives you something stronger to focus on.
You’re not standing there because you have to be perfect.
You’re standing there because the topic matters, the outcome matters, and what you’re trying to achieve is important.
give yourself a reason to keep going despite the nerves
Your reason for speaking doesn’t need to be complicated or life-changing.
It could be:
What matters is that it feels meaningful to you.
When you care about what you’re saying, it becomes easier to find the courage to say it, even when nerves show up.
It could be:
- “I want to share an idea that could make a difference.”
- “I want to help people avoid the mistake I made.”
- "This is an important topic and it really matters to me."
- “I want to show I’m ready for more responsibility.”
What matters is that it feels meaningful to you.
When you care about what you’re saying, it becomes easier to find the courage to say it, even when nerves show up.
what does this look like in practice?
Before your next presentation or when you're thinking about speaking up in a meeting ask yourself:
You don’t need the perfect answer. Even a small connection to why you’re speaking can help give you the motivation to push through when any nerves appear.
- Why does this matter to me?
- What do I want people to understand?
- What do I want my audience to take away?
You don’t need the perfect answer. Even a small connection to why you’re speaking can help give you the motivation to push through when any nerves appear.
try this next time you present
Knowing why you’re speaking won’t make every nervous feeling disappear ....and it doesn’t need to.
But when you have a reason that matters, you have something to focus on beyond your fear.
You’re not just giving a presentation. You’re sharing something that matters.
But when you have a reason that matters, you have something to focus on beyond your fear.
You’re not just giving a presentation. You’re sharing something that matters.
