What To Do When Your Body Betrays You During Public Speaking

One of the hardest things to accept about public speaking is that you do not only lack control over the audience. You also lack control over yourself.

Your hand trembles when holding notes. You sweat through your shirt. When you grab the microphone, simple words suddenly become difficult to pronounce. Sometimes your brain simply stops working.

Many people search for techniques that promise to eliminate these reactions completely. I wish I could offer one. I cannot. If you find a reliable way to prevent your body from reacting to pressure, please send it to me. What I can tell you is that these reactions are normal.

I also strongly advise against the classic suggestion of taking alcohol before going on stage. Substances that numb your body also dull your brain. You risk slurring words, losing clarity, and reducing your ability to think. Go on stage sober.

Even great performers experience it

The first step is accepting that you cannot fully control the animal part of your body that wants to sweat, shake, or flee. Two extraordinary performers illustrate this perfectly.

The first is the French actor Fabrice Luchini. I saw him perform in a theatre in Antibes, being in his seventies. He has nothing left to prove: decades of success in theatre, cinema, and television, and a reputation as a brilliant improviser. Yet when he stepped on stage holding pages of Victor Hugo’s text, his hand was trembling so strongly that even spectators in the back rows could see the paper shaking.

The second is Jacques Brel, the legendary Belgian singer who could hypnotize entire audiences. Despite his power on stage, Brel was known for becoming physically sick before performances, sometimes vomiting before stepping out to sing.

Great performers do not eliminate fear. They perform with it.

Rehearse the moment your body fears most

Professional performers know something important: the fear usually disappears within minutes or seconds of stepping on stage.

That is why rehearsal should include the very first action of performance. In other articles on this blog, I explain that your rehearsal space should include a symbolic stage entry and a clear position of power.

You practice walking into the room, stepping into that position, and beginning to speak. Your body learns the sequence.

This rehearsal is not just about memorizing words. It trains your body to move forward even when your instinct is to hide.

Your body will be trained to perform

What happens when your body shakes, sweats, wants to stop on the day of the speech? You simply continue. You have rehearsed the actions: walking to the stage, standing in position, speaking your message. Your body may show signs of nervousness, but it will still perform the sequence.