How to Master Public Speaking (Even if You HATE it!)

I’ve got some good news and some bad news for you.

MicrophoneThe bad news is that you have no excuse not to learn the art of public speaking.

Actually…there is one way you could get out of it…

You can throw in the towel, get a boring, low-paying day job, and quit pretending you’re a legit fitness entrepreneur.

What’s that? You don’t like that idea? You want to keep growing your business, keep closing more clients, keep expanding your income, and help more people lead better lives?

AWESOME!

So now it’s time to get real and admit that you DO need this crucial skill in your tool chest.

Pretty much all of the options available to you right now to scale up your business and increase your profits involve public speaking.

That group close technique I showed you last time? Public speaking. Creating authority videos on YouTube so that prospects BEG YOU for the chance to sign up? Public speaking. Getting paid HUGE sums to appear on stage at major fitness industry events? Public speaking.

And the good news is, you CAN master public speaking (even if you hate it right now!) and I’m going to show you how!

Look, I Get it

 

These days, I’m constantly praised for my incredible public speaking skills (and handsomely rewarded financially for them).

But you’ve got to remember: I started out as the awkward, fat, foreign kid who didn’t even learn English until the age of 6.

And hell, let me be brutally honest here: I got into fitness in high school partially because the idea of training my body into peak physical condition was WAY less scary than the thought of talking to girls directly.

I figured, hey, if I can get myself in amazing shape, I’ll have extra confidence and my physical appearance will do most of the attraction work for me! Talking People

(Yeah…turns out it doesn’t work that way. I did get in awesome shape, but I didn’t get a prom date. Just like everything else in life, I couldn’t excuse away the skill of talking to people.)

Could you maybe, possibly, relate to any of that?

Look, I know plenty of us fitness pros got into this business to try to FIND confidence…because we didn’t exactly have a ton to begin with…but now is your chance to level up and learn the skill that will bring you more opportunity than you can even imagine.

Speaking of…

Yes, Public Speaking is a SKILL

 

People always talk about public speaking like it’s something you just have or don’t have.

Nonsense!

Public speaking is a SKILL. You can LEARN it through STUDY and PRACTICE.

Think of all the other skills you’ve had to learn in life to make it this far. Weren’t some of them scary at first? Maybe they didn’t make sense to you right away?

But you pushed through and LEARNED because you knew you wanted the outcome that came with that skill, like breaking through another PR or finally getting your abs to show.

So start practicing! Take up every public speaking opportunity you can.

Doesn’t matter if you feel “ready” or not – just get in there and practice.

Start giving motivational group talks to your training clients. You’ll get to sharpen your skills and they’ll get better results.

Starting a YouTube channel and committing to daily or weekly videos is also a great way to start, although speaking on video does feel a little different from speaking in front of a live crowd.

PracticeYou could also join a public speaking organization like Toastmasters. They can offer you training, and they’ll give you plenty of opportunities to test out your skills.

But whatever you do, just PRACTICE! 

I’ve still got some excellent advice to give you, but you need to understand that none of it is going to help you if you don’t put in the work and practice.

Remember That the Audience is On Your Side

 

Whenever I ask people why they are nervous about public speaking, I always get some version of the same answer:

“I’m scared I’ll screw up.”

Folks…here’s the dirty little secret about most public speaking…

It’s actually really tough to screw up!

Why?

Because in most public speaking situations…the audience desperately WANTS you to succeed! They’re subconsciously rooting for you! 

Look, nobody wants to sit through a crappy speech or presentation…so most people will give you the benefit of the doubt and subconsciously “edit out” any mistakes or hiccups you might have.

You have to do something seriously ridiculous to break that pattern. Nobody is going to care about you stuttering, or missing a PowerPoint slide, or having nervous energy.

Side note: the one exception to all of this is stand-up comedy. That’s very easy to screw up, and crowds can get nasty when a comedian screws up. If you want to see some truly fearless public speaking, go watch a seasoned stand-up comedian.

The only thing that really can kill you in public speaking is your own nerves. The audience is not going to come after you – they’re on your side.

And by the way…

Public Speaking Nerves are a Good Thing

 

I’m about to do some seriously magical reframing here, so buckle in tight. photodune-8331331-its-magic-xs

You know all those things (maybe you get them too) that people say are the awful side-effects of public speaking?

I’m talking sweaty palms, shaky legs, itchy skin, blushing, nervous giggles…all the things that people dread about public speaking.

Guess what?

Those are all good things.

Why?

Because “nervous energy” is just ENERGY! When you’ve got it in your body, you can use it however you want.

And when it comes to public speaking, ANY energy is better than no energy.

So when you’re speaking to a crowd and you start to feel the energy – don’t fight it! Embrace it and let it guide your presentation. Walk around if you need to. Talk with your hands.

People like speakers who are DYNAMIC, so use the energy to your advantage!

Finally…

When in Doubt, Remember Your Purpose

 

You are a fitness entrepreneur.

You are on a holy mission to get people into top physical condition on a massive scale.

That absolutely means offering your clients the best training, products, and fitness knowledge that you’ve got.

But just as often, it means connecting with your clients on an emotional and psychological level.

So that you can push them past their imagined limitations.

So that you can have them spread the message of your business and get you even more clients.

So that you can upsell them on more training, better gear and supplements, and deeper commitment to their new, healthy lifestyles.

So that you can make a difference.

To do all that, you need the SKILL of public speaking.

Get out there, practice, embrace your energy, and GO DOMINATE!

Committed to your success,

Bedros

P.S. There’s a lot of overlap between public speaking skills and selling skills in general. If you haven’t already, I recommend you use my program Close Clients to enhance your selling skills and sign up 9 out of every 10 prospective clients you meet. Check it out today!