Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking: Insights from Jeffrey Hellman

I always think of the great quote from Jerry Seinfeld once said, people fear public speaking more than they fear death. So the next time you're at a funeral, just keep in mind that the person giving the eulogy would probably prefer to be in the casket. And it's not an easy thing. There's several people I've asked to be guests at the class, and they've said no. I just don't like speaking in front of people. It's an important skill. You don't have to do it for a living, but it's just important. In fact, part of the class grade is based on class participation, and it doesn't mean you have to come up with insightful, brilliant comments or even get the answers to questions correctly. You just have to participate. And once you participate, you'll participate more, you'll get more comfortable with it, and at least it won't be a foreign situation for you.