Make mirror neurons work for you.

What are mirror neurons?

Basically, it’s that humans tend to do what other humans are doing.

You know how if you’re at a party talking to someone, and they are smiling, you’ll smile too, even though you’re not sure why you’re smiling? And if someone points their foot at you, you’ll often point your foot at them?

That’s mirror neurons at work.

Now put them to work for you.

One way that you can put them to work for you is by becoming less nervous, because if you’re up there and you’re nervous, then your audience is probably going to get nervous too.

I know, being nervous is actually completely normal. Humans are social animals, so when a bunch of people are staring at you, you get nervous. It’s completely natural for a public speaker to be nervous.

But one way that you can reduce that nervousness is by practicing a lot, practicing way more than you think is necessary.

The result is that when it’s time for you to get up and give that speech, your brain will not be 80% occupied with “Okay, what am I going to say next?” That thought, “What am I going to say next,” will only be taking up 10-20% of your brain.

In other words, by practicing a lot, you’re basically reducing the brain space that you need for your presentation.

And the unused brainspace can just revert to the things that you’ve already been practicing all your life, like how to talk to people at a party and what to do with your hands.

You’ve been practicing those things all your life, but if 80% of your brain is busy just remembering the things that you’ve got to say next, then there’s very little room for that other stuff.

The result is that because you are relaxed, your audience is too.