Hey, it's Rachel Cook, your modern mentor.

I'm the founder of Lead Above Noise, a firm helping leaders activate performance and change without the burnout.

We do leader activation boot camps, keynotes, and pulse checks to help build custom blueprints.

Just let us know what you need.

So the other day, I was scheduling an appointment with my physical therapist.

Long story, bad back. Anyway, he threw out a date, and I mentioned I couldn't do that one as I would

be delivering a keynote at a conference. And he looked at me with full on terror eyes, and he said,

you mean like on a stage with people watching? And I gently nodded and I chuckled,

but I got it. It's so funny because most of my work has me up on a stage or at the front of a

room full of people, well, except for when I am blissfully recording a podcast all by myself in a room.

And while I do get some gentle butterflies before I go up there, which keep me on my toes,

I don't experience terror speaking in front of others, and sometimes I need to be reminded that

other people do.

But speaking up in front of others is a necessary evil for most people, whether from a stage or a podium or

even just at a conference table of peers or clients, presenting can be scary. So let's talk today

about some of the strategies I use to prepare and keep my nerves at bay. And I'm hoping something in here

resonates for you. Okay, first,

know versus memorize what you need to say. One of the things that I know stresses people out

when they have to present is worrying about whether they remember everything, whether it's key

ideas and data points or transition comments and critical questions.

It's a lot to ask our brains to hold on to.

My strategy here is to focus on getting to know my material rather than memorizing every piece of it.

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