1. Remain calm. This is easier said than done of course. But focus on converting anxiety into excitement.

Susan Cain, the introverted author of Quiet who overcome her own phobia of public speaking to give a record-breaking TED talk, explains, “Your go system revs you up and makes you excited. Your stop system slows you down and makes you cautious and vigilant.” Cain suggests that it’s a mistake to work at turning off the stop system; you want to turn on your go system. Anxiety is an intense emotion, and it’s hard to make it vanish quickly in the face of uncertainty. It’s easier to convert anxiety into another strong emotion like excitement.

2. Practice in front of an audience.
The key is to practice under conditions that resemble the performance as much as possible. With that in mind, I was surprised to discover that before a talk in front of a crowd of thousands, the best preparation was to practice in front of a small group.

3. Turn off your lights – this will lower your anxiety. FUN FACT: Audiences laugh more in dim lit places because their faces are more concealed and they feel more comfortable.

4. Know your audience.
You won’t be surprised or caught off guard. You will be more confident because you will be more ready

5. Lead with a puzzle, question, or story.
This will help you be yourself and speak more naturally