How to Ditch the Stage Fright and Conquer Your Keynote

Have you ever watched a speaker on stage and thought, ‘Damn, they’re such a natural’?

I hate to break it to you, but NO ONE is born a great speaker – it’s all been developed with practice.

But before you resign yourself to the fact that sweaty palms and a racing heart will always be your reality, know that confidence is something you can build.

As someone who has enacted their fair share of the good, the medium and the downright unusual moments while speaking, I am no stranger to the stage boogeyman. It’s why I feel I’m more than qualified to share a few strategies that can help you deliver your content with a smile.

If you were the kid who tried to become invisible when your teacher was searching for the next student to get up in front of the class, you’re certainly not alone.

The gist of it is that stage fright is deeply rooted in your body’s natural fight-or-flight response. Except, instead of running away from a sabertooth tiger, your brain is telling you to flee from judgment, embarrassment and failure.

Unfortunately, your monkey brain is pretty good at telling you stories. It means well – it wants to protect you after all. However, in this case, it’s to your own detriment.

Getting up to speak in front of a group of people leaves us feeling vulnerable, which your brain can perceive as a threat. The result? A release of stress hormones that leads to increased heart rate, sweating, and trembling.

The good news is that understanding this allows you to put stage fright into a physiological box, making it a little less of a big deal.

So, how the hell do you get your body and mind to work together so that you can get through your next keynote?

In this scenario, your mind needs to be the puppet master.

Here are a few ways you can work on reframing your fears before they take hold of your body:

I am going to be realistic and say that this one is going to take some practice, but it can become second nature. Turning fear into excitement works because your body reacts in similar ways.

However, instead of experiencing sheer panic because your brain is convinced you’re going to kick the bucket right there on the stage, your mind is more focused on the positive possibilities of your keynote. Think new clients, a strong reputation and a thriving brand.

Honestly, what’s the worst that could happen? (as my keynote coach always tells me).

Nervous before you speak? Good. That adrenaline rush you’re feeling isn’t your enemy, it’s your secret weapon.

Instead of fighting it, ride it. Channel that jittery energy into excitement. Let it add a spark to your voice, a bit more punch to your gestures and a sharper edge to your focus.

When you feel the nerves kicking in, tell yourself, “This is my body gearing up to be awesome.”

Not scared. Ready. Big difference.

I know, I know, visualisations, right? They can make a difference though and there are several studies that prove this.

In the realm of sports, a study showed that athletes who combine visualisation with physical practice can see performance improvements of up to 45%.

Another 2017 study from the University of Windsor found that professionals, including novice surgeons and nursing students, experienced reduced stress and improved clinical performance after practising visualisation strategies. Even police officers reported better problem-solving abilities and fewer stress-related issues following a 10-week imagery training program.

It’s not always easy to get out of your head, but a good way to do this is to bring your complete focus to your message.

Remind yourself why you’re doing this keynote. How are you potentially helping others and what do you get out of it? Focusing on these positive potential scenarios can make it easier to shake off the stage fright you’ve become accustomed to.

It’s no secret that any keynote requires preparation, but it’s pairing this preparation with your ability to read your audience and enjoy yourself on stage that really shoots the lights out.

When you feel prepared, you automatically feel more confident, so this isn’t a step you want to skip. Breaking your keynote into digestible sections for easy recall is definitely recommended. Whatever you do, do not try to memorise your speech word-for-word. Why? If you miss a word (which you will, everyone does), it throws you right off. Once I stopped trying to do word for word, everything became easier.

It’s ok to write it out to start with, get the ideas out of your head and read it out loud to hear how it sounds, but after that, start leaving that read-every-word approach behind.

Know your flow, know your main bullet points and headings and let your great knowledge fill in the rest.

This too takes practice and one of the best ways to do so is in front of people you know and trust (and those who aren’t scared to give you some honest feedback). Once you’ve prepped your keynote, gather some of your nearest and dearest or a colleague at work and give it all you’ve got. I have always found it’s way harder to speak in front of a few people than a large group so if you can nail this, the bigger groups should be way easier.

You could also do this exercise in front of a mirror to start, but it really helps to be able to watch people’s facial expressions and reactions and feel that little bit of discomfort there and then.

I’m a big fan of practising your keynote at least 8 times before you deliver it. I know, it seems like a lot, but when you hit those markers, it’s always better. Your content is imprinted into your mind, you know your flow, the words you may stumble over and you’re ready to go.

Owning the stage isn’t about being perfect—it’s about showing up like you belong there. The second you step in front of an audience, own your space. Walk in with purpose, stand tall and resist the urge to nervously shuffle like you’re waiting for a performance appraisal (after you haven’t hit your sales numbers).

Eye contact is going to be your secret weapon on stage. Scan the room, lock eyes with different people and make them feel like you’re speaking just to them.

Also, don’t be afraid to take up space but don’t wander the stage like a lion hunting its pride.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s okay to stand in the same space – the red dot that TED Talk speakers use works really well, but if you’re going to add some movement, move with intention.

As for your voice, if you’re droning on in a flat monotone, your audience will be mentally checking their Instagram reels. Mix it up! Play with your tone, volume and speed to keep them engaged, and don’t avoid a dramatic pause—it’s the keynote equivalent of a mic drop.

And if you really want to win them over, don’t be scared to throw in a bit of humour, tell a relatable story and let your personality shine through. If you trip over a word or lose your place, laugh it off and keep going.

Shit happens, but it doesn’t need to bring your keynote to a grinding halt. Here’s how to deal.

Forgetting what you were going to say feels like the stuff of nightmares, but here’s the truth—your audience has no idea what’s on your script. If you hit a mental roadblock, don’t panic.

Take a deep breath, pause (it makes you look composed, not clueless) and repeat the last point you made to buy yourself time. If you’re still stuck, have a quick recovery phrase ready, like “Let’s take a step back for a second” or “Here’s what really matters…” to smoothly get back on track.

Confidence isn’t about never messing up, it’s about handling the hiccups like a pro.

There’s no worse time for your laptop to decide it needs an update than in the middle of your speech. Mic unexpectedly cuts out? Great!

Instead of letting tech failures rattle you, stay calm and acknowledge the issue with a touch of humour. If it’s a quick fix, roll with it; if not, pivot. Great speakers don’t just rely on slides or gadgets—they focus on their message. Worst case? Improvise with storytelling, engage the audience directly and prove you’re not just a great speaker with tech, but a great speaker, full stop.

The Q&A session can feel like walking into an ambush, especially when someone fires off a question you weren’t expecting. The first rule is not to rush.

Take a breath, repeat or rephrase the question to give yourself time and if you need a moment, try “That’s a great question—let me think about the best way to answer.”

And if you don’t know the answer, own it! A simple “That’s an interesting point, and I’d love to explore it further” keeps you in control.

I also highly recommend that if you’re doing a keynote, leave the questions until the end. If you’re running a workshop, however, it makes more sense to take questions throughout your talk.

If you would like to get inspired and see how I handle the stage scaries, find out more about my keynotes here.

There’s no doubt you’re going to feel a sense of relief once your keynote is done, but your work doesn’t end there.

You don’t have to review your performance right away, you’ve earned the right to relax, but don’t forget about the review altogether.

Take some time in the days following your keynote to make some notes about how you think you did. Try not to be too harsh on yourself, It won’t do you any favours. You have delivered a great keynote after all.

If you’re feeling brave, you can also reach out to people for some feedback, and remember all feedback is great feedback. Not everyone is necessarily going to be your greatest fan, but they will have something useful to add. It’s how you use this information that matters.

What’s most important is that you keep speaking. The more you do it, the better you’ll get. Think of every keynote as an opportunity to build your confidence.

With a bit of prep, the right mindset and loving your content, you’ll be strutting onto that stage like a total legend.

Just be you! Bring your own personality, style and approach to your talk. Don’t try to be that person who somersaults on stage if that’s not you!

Remember, even the best speakers get the jitters—it’s how you use that energy that makes all the difference. So next time you’re gearing up for a keynote, take a deep breath, chuck a cheeky grin at the crowd and own that mic like a pro.

And if things go a bit pear-shaped? Laugh it off, keep going and trust that your audience is on your side.

Cover Photo by Kane Reinholdtsen on Unsplash