Life becomes more challenging each time we climb the stairs of success. Higher the ambgitions are, bigger the challenges we come across. One of such challenge which I felt in my life, since my childhood, is stage fear.
When I was in my school days, it was always a choice of the student to whether speak in front of the class or not. I rarely used any opportunity I got, during those days, because seeing myself in the podium always raised my pulse.
I realised the importance of public speaking, when I was part of a software developing team during my training period in an MNC. Each member of the team was given a task (to be completed within a specific time). I did my part very well but failed to present it in a good way. It was then I knew how much important it is, to express our ideas /thoughts to others in an effective way.
I made up my mind to overcome this fear and I started to seek for help. I searched for the speech clubs near me and joined one – “The Toastmasters”!
In the beginning, it was very difficult for me to complete even a sentence. I couldn’t make up to a minute during the initial few days. Members of the club were so supportive and motivating, that they gave me more chances to speak and gave a list of suggestions to improve. I practiced speaking in front of the mirror, recorded my speech and listened to it every day. This helped me in identifying the errors I made and correcting it.
After 2 months of joining the club, I got an opportunity to make a speech over an abstract topic, in my company, for which I was able to speak well. I got good response from the audience during the speech and complements after the speech. It is still, the moment I will mark as the happiest in my life.
The biggest challenge one faces, is within oneself –to overcome the fear, we have in our mind .And the only way to overcome it is to push yourself, keep motivated and Afterall, believe in yourself.