17 Apr 17 / Blog

Lessons from TEDx – trust me, they’re not nerves that you’re feeling ….

So the day of TEDx was upon us.  The sense of occasion in the great hall during the speakers breakfast was palpable.  There were twenty or so of us there ready to share our ideas. We were ushered into the senate chamber for a comprehensive briefing from the organisers and the production team.   It really did feel like being part of a television show which definitely added to the feeling of apprehension.

Approximately 30 minutes before I was due to go on, the organiser excitedly told  us that there were approximately 10,000 people watching via live stream online!  Until that point I didn’t even know there was going to be a live stream, never mind one with 10,000 people watching!

Talk about raising the nerves to an all time high!

One of the speakers, David Meade, is a household name in Northern Ireland and is the host of his own TV show.  Suddenly, David started saying how nervous he was getting. What did this mean for the rest of us, if the most experienced person among us was getting nervous?

I then had a quick chat with David that went something like this:

Me: “But hang on David, you’re on TV, you do stage shows and corporate events every day of the week –  how can you be nervous?”

David: “Nerves never leave you, they’re a good thing, they keep us in check and show us we care,. Nerves are good.  Do you know nervousness and excitement are very closely linked in the brain. So if you’re getting overly nervous just tell yourself you’re excited.”

I was very sceptical at this piece of wisdom but thought I would give it a try.  There I was backstage a few minutes later telling myself out loud:

“I am excited, I am excited, I am excited.”

I couldn’t believe it but it actually worked. The nerves subsided to a manageable level ,and I even felt my body language shift to being more upright and confident.   As you probably know, everything David Meade says is true!  But if you don’t believe him here’s more about the science of this idea by Harvard Business School.

I encourage you to give it a try, the next time you are about to give a speech or presentation find a quiet corner and say to yourself a few times over:

“I’m excited, I’m excited, I’m excited.”

Just see what happens!


Richard Wasson

Richard Wasson has sailed the world on exploration superyachts. He has many stories to tell from his years as captain and chief officer to the very rich and the very famous! Now officially retired from sea, his quest to help people be happier in their life and careers is ongoing. Watch Richard’s TEDx talk here.

“This post is the last in a series of three posts, where I share just some of the things I learnt from my TEDx experience. You can read the others here and here.”

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