It’s not about you.

Public speaking is not about you. You may be thinking, “What?!

When I’m in front of an audience, everyone is looking at me. Everyone is listening to me. My name is in big, bold font on the agenda. Of course, it’s about me.”

I know this is counterintuitive but stay with me.

Remember those people in your audience? Those humans who are dealing with the slings and arrows of life at work, life at home, and life in this mixed-up world? This experience is for them. They are hoping to gain strategies, wisdom, and inspiration to make their lives easier and more meaningful.

Many of my clients initially come to me because they have had it with feeling anxious, self-conscious, and being in their heads. They are terrified about what people are going to think of them, and this fear undermines their confidence, creativity, and intuition. They’ve made the experience about them.

If you relate and hate being the center of attention, focus on being of service. Do all you can to understand who will be in your audience, what their struggles are, and how you can help them. This will help you get your center of attention off of you. (See what I did there?)

Also, try this: Picture that they are looking “to” you rather than “at” you.

You may be saying to yourself, “This doesn’t apply to me; I love being the center of attention!” The same applies even if you are at home in front of a crowd. Center your attention on your audience and what they need. People can sense if you are trying to help them or if you love hearing the sound of your own voice.

Remember, you don’t get a presentation; you give a presentation.