4 Lies about Public Speaking that Hold You Back

4 Common Misconceptions about Public Speaking - Must Have Strategies for Speakers & Leaders

4 Minute Read. To watch the video version on LinkedIn click here.

What is the first thing you do when you are born?
 
Yes, okay, you might wiggle around a little, perhaps you even open your eyes with amazement.

However, the first thing you usually do is: 𝗖𝗿𝘆.
 
In other words, you use your VOICE to tell the world: I AM HERE! 🌏​
​
You use your voice to communicate and connect.

Yet when we grow up, many people don’t realise the crucial importance of owning your voice and public speaking. The truth is:
 
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂,
 
👉 You are holding yourself back in life.
 
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲,
 
👉 These misconceptions might very well be your barrier.
 
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿,
 
👉 It's paramount that you shift these beliefs.

To support you, here are the Common Misconceptions about Public Speaking and a Golden Takeaway at the end to amplify your voice.

Let's get started!
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Misconception #1
Public Speaking is about gaining a few strategies

Misconception number one is that Public Speaking is about gaining a few strategies, or that it's about gaining a few quick skills. Public Speaking is so much more than just “surface-level strategies” and short-term skill sets. Public Speaking is about long-term confidence, long-term self-belief and knowing who you are, what you stand for, and what you're living for.
 
Public Speaking is a deep-down confidence that you are rocking your own personal branding and are owning your unique voice.

❌Public Speaking is not just speaking on stages or doing presentations that require a few short-term strategies.  Public Speaking is also about: 

✅ Having healthy boundaries in everyday life

✅ Knowing when to speak and when not to

✅ Being more confident when you're dating

✅ Asking better questions

✅ Knowing when to ask a question and when not to

​✅ Being emotionally aware

✅ Being able to speak up more when something is not right or about injustice

✅ Being able to be a better mum, dad, or leader for your community.
 
Being a public speaker means you can feel a deeper sense of confidence in all you do. In everyday life and professionally, a public speaking mindset and ability is crucial.
 
So, let's push away that Public Speaking belief that it's about gaining some short-term skills and just a few strategies, and let's go deeper and ask the question ---
 
How is Public Speaking with confidence going to change my life?


Misconception #2
​Public Speaking is the end result

Misconception number two is the belief that public speaking is the end result -- that the goal of becoming good at public speaking is to be a public speaker, full stop.
 
The truth is: Public Speaking is the vehicle. Think about it as the car that you jumped into that's going to take you to the destination that you want.
 
As Steven Covey explains, "Begin with the end in mind."
 
Ask yourself:

✅What are the bigger goals that I have in life?

✅What are the things that I really want to achieve?

✅Who do I want to become?
 
Then, ask yourself:

✅How is public speaking going to get me there?
 
For example, a lot of my members come to me because they are coaches or they are business owners. Yes they come for public speaking growth, but what they really want is the end result of increased impact and increased income. Public Speaking is the vehicle to get them to increase those things.
 
Other people come to me because they want that promotion at work, or they want to be in a higher leadership role. Those are the results they want, and public speaking growth gets them there.

So, that's the end result that you want?
 
Let's shift your mindset and beliefs around what public speaking really is.
 
Go deeper! What is your true 'Why', which Public Speaking is going to get you to?


Misconception #3
Public Speaking is only for extroverts

The third misconception that holds people back is the belief that Public Speaking is only for extroverts.

People think that to be a good public speaker, you need to have a lot of energy or have my speaker voice for example, which is high energy and a fast-speaker voice.
 
No! You don't have to be like me, and you don't have to be like Tony Robbins or Brené Brown, or any other person. You just have to be you.
 
You might say, “Cliche, Jody!”

Well, it is a cliche, because it really is true. Public Speaking is about you owning your true voice. It is about YOU having your own personal brand.
 
What I'm really passionate about as a public speaking coach is helping people to own their own unique energy, their own unique voice, and their own personal branding. It's not about you going out there and doing videos on social media or writing your book or showing up in the workplace or in your business as somebody else.
 
Let's put away that imposter syndrome, that mask, and be you.
 
How can you own your own unique voice?

A way to do this is to ask yourself:
 
✅What is my energy like?
 
✅What is my personal branding and colours?
 
✅How do I speak and sound?
 
✅Is my speaker pace fast or is it slow?
 
✅Do I have a deeper voice or is it a high voice?
 
Then, own it.
 
If you have high introverted qualities, that can still be part of your speaker voice. You don't have to have extroverted qualities fully to be a great public speaker.

So, let's shift that belief and own your true self.


Golden Strategy
Make Public Speaking & Communication a Priority

My golden takeaway for today is to make Public Speaking and Communication a priority.
 
Prioritise it. When you prioritise public speaking and communication, you can begin to make huge shifts in your life. Public speaking and communication will come through in many areas personally and professionally.
 
How you articulate yourself to your kids, how you're able to gain better deals, how you create healthy boundaries, how you're able to have a better result for yourself and other people.
 
Public Speaking is where you're going to be able to live that dream, finally quit that job that you don't enjoy and live the bigger goals that you have. Public Speaking is the vehicle, remember, to get you there.
 
So, a big takeaway for you is to make it a priority to increase your Public Speaking and Communication skills, and to own the identity of:

“I am an extraordinary speaker and communicator”.

If you own that identity, you're going to lift your actions and your behaviours up to that identity and your whole world is going to shift.


Woohoo! I trust that this blog article has helped you to breakthrough the common lies and misconceptions about public speaking. I invite you to like and comment below if you resonate or have any questions, and share this article with anyone you feel is going to benefit from this.

As always, if there are any topics or any other challenges I can support you with, simply message me at www.jodydontje.com/connect. I'd be happy to support you.

​I'm here to serve.

Remember, every day you have a choice: 

You can choose to be ordinary, or as Denise Burchard explains “YOU CAN CHOOSE TO BE EXTRAORDINARY”. 

So, go out there and choose to be EXTRAORDINARY.

Be Brave. Be Vulnerable. Be Kind.
 
With kindness,

---

P.s. 
​To watch the Video Version on LinkedIn, Click Here.