I was struck by a comment made my Steve Dembo on Facebook recently. He said:

“I imagine that some day I'll stop getting nervous before presentations. But today is not that day”

I’ve met Steve: passionate, enthusiastic, a great speaker. I came across him via his blog and podcasts some years ago. I found him to be really inspirational, and was delighted to meet him at a conference a few years ago. So I was shocked to read his comment, though not surprised.

I was speaking to a public speaking expert last year, someone who earns his living from training in that field. He has worked with famous actors and all sorts of celebrities, and some of them get physically sick before going on stage.

I asked him if he himself ever gets nervous. He replied:

“I always wonder if this will be the occasion when someone comes up to me afterwards and taps me on the shoulder and says, ‘Perhaps you might think about a different line of work…’”

I get nervous too – but I actually think the nerves, combined with other factors of course, are necessary.

If you are interested in my take on this, read this article:

What acting taught me about public speaking