12 Things To Help You Develop Self Confidence And Public Speaking


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How to Develop-Self Confidence & Influence People by Public Speaking is an evergreen book written by Dale Carnegie.

The key takeaways of the book are that improving public speaking and improving self-confidence happen only through preparation, education, determination and practice.

There is no short cut to a better you, there’s only a long path of self-improvement.


You can develop self-confidence and master public speaking through the below 12 easy lessons explained in the book.


1. Developing Courage and Self-Confidence 

All are basically afraid of public speaking. Many people lack confidence too.

But it is easy to learn and become a great speaker. You can also speak in-front of a group. You just need to generate that desire to give a great speech inside you. Developing confidence happens through preparation.


2. Self-Confidence through Preparation

Dale Carnegie says, “A well prepared speech is already 90% delivered.”

You just need to arrange your thoughts and sequence them before giving a speech.

Gathering material and researching the topic will also give you a great hold on the topic, thereby generating confidence.


3. How Famous Speakers Prepared Their Addresses

According to Napoleon, “The art of war is a science in which nothing succeeds which has not been calculated and thought out.”

Similarly, speeches must also be well prepared.

First, complete a point and move to the next.

Prepare your conclusion right in the beginning and also listen to your speech if possible.

Try practicing answering the things what people might ask you.


4. The Improvement of Memory

The keys to memory are: repetition, impression & association.

Interlink your points together in speech so that transitions naturally flow into the next part of the speech.


5. Essential Elements in Successful Speaking 

Improvement happens in a linear fashion - don’t get discouraged when you halt.

Consistency and determination can lift it all. Stick with it.


6. The Secret of a Good Delivery 

It’s not what you say, but how you say it.

Good delivery is always interactive and conversational.You should give it to the audience and also take it from them.

Pause at 3 places for sure, Behind, Before and Between the main ideas.

Stress important words so that they are remembered by the audience.


7. Platform, Presence & Personality

Never eat too much before giving your speech.

Be very energetic.

You need to dress well and smile often to grab the attention of the audience.

If you keep things intimate, informal it’d be a greatly conversational speech.

Use a smaller room for your speech, cluster people together so that you can almost maintain eye-contact with everybody and keep it interactive to the maximum extent possible.


8. How to Open a Talk 

Your opening is the most important part of the speech.

You should never start with a joke or make an apology.

Make your presentation very feel free, casual and certain.


9. How to Close a Talk

At the end of your speech, don’t leave anything to the imagination of the audience or end on an uncertain tone. Plan your closing word, right until the end. This is the most strategic element of your speech.

Some tips for closing: call for action, summarize points, build up a major climax.


10. How to Make Your Meaning Clear 

Put your ideas into plain language

You can repeat key ideas by rephrasing them so that the audience isn’t aware of the repetition.


11. How to Interest Your Audience 

Every audience is extremely interested in extraordinary facts about ordinary things.

You can use balanced sentences and contrasting ideas.

Things like stories and gossips, all hold the audience's attention for a long time.


12. Improve Your Diction

Reading the great speeches will help perfecting your vocabulary.

You always have to look up the words that are unfamiliar to you when you read. Avoid silly words & comparisons



Written By – Aditya Neelakantam