Nelson Mandela rightly said,” Courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph to overcome it.”
I was in class 8 and was asked to deliver a speech on World Health Day. On this fine day, I was more than tensed and I ended up forgetting my speech and all eyes were on me. This left a huge scar on my teenage mind. I decided not to involve in any kind of public speaking related activities hence becoming an introvert and secluded person.
As the placement season were around the corner, I realized that I have to face my fear. It so happened that I came upon a video where Ms Arunima Sinha Was telling about her struggles to reach Mount Everest. This video inspired me a lot. I started fighting against my fear by answering in class. My articulation was not proper. But still I didn’t lose hope and started participating in small inter section public speaking competitions. I regularly used to stand in front of the mirror and practice out loud. I horribly screwed my first three placement Group Discussions but when the fourth company came, I could successfully crack it due to the hard work I put in.
Many would think that this is not a struggle at all, but I know the length and breadth of stage fear and public speaking. I have still not gained complete proficiency in my speaking skills but I am daily putting in some efforts to improve my articulation and vocabulary.