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This week, I was asked, ‘How do I deal with nerves before a talk even if I am prepared?’
Hello ‘I-am-nervous-even-when-I-am-prepared’! Thank you for writing in. Here is some good news and good-er news ( yeah, we are doing away with the good news, bad news dichotomy). Good news is ‘feeling nervous even when you are thoroughly prepared is normal’. Good-er news is we all feel this way. All of us. Irrespective of how well prepared we are. It is one of those things we all feel the same way about - Sun rises in the East, Boba Tea is amazing, it is never too early for Christmas decor and Bed Bugs in Paris will be a better series than Emily in Paris.
The finale of the show ‘ The Bear’ S2 is the opening night of the restaurant. Every member of the staff has years of kitchen experience and has put in their time,energy and focus ( for the last 2 months) towards nothing else but this night. This opening service. As chaos reigns supreme in the kitchen, they run out of clean cutlery, the head chef is locked in the walk-in freezer and orders pile in. Sydney ( the partner who was managing the orders expo) and Richie ( one of the hosts in the front) are panicking but they step up, streamline and take control of the situation like the bosses they are. They lead, manage, delegate and shine. Orders reach the table, guests are served and it is a successful service. After the service ends, Sydney steps outside, frazzled and throws up. All this to say, chefs who cook day in and day out also feel the nerves before important events.
Now that we have established it is completely normal to have the rush of adrenaline and nerves, let us talk about how you can manage it.
You could ask yourself what it is that you are nervous about. If you are thoroughly prepared, have a good idea of what you will be speaking, and manage to convey what you have outlined, you will be fine. Saying it aloud, addressing your fear and reassuring yourself (with facts) helps in combating the said fear.
As cliche as it sounds, Breathe! Breathe in and breathe out slowly. Take deep breaths and you would feel a palpable difference in your heart beat and nerves.
You are feeling the nerves because the event/talk/situation matters to you and it is a good sign. It shows you care. It shows that you want it to go well and use those nerves, that extra bit of edge to be extra prepared. Tap into your inner Sydney, Richie, Fak, Tina, Marcus and Nat who rise to the occasion, ride out their nerves and deliver. Forward and onward then! Goodluck!
P.S. Bear snuck on me. Ofcourse, I had heard of how good it was in passing but nothing had prepared me for how tender it was. The premise is not new - local boy returns home to save the family restaurant, but boy o boy, wouldn’t you fall in love with the characters, their ambitions, their struggles, their dreams and hopes and aspirations. This scene in the finale is an example of the shows’ tenderness. Not only does Richie ace at the expo and order management, like a true leader he also motivates Fak to go out there and be the host. I know I am asking this on behalf of everyone - FX when is season 3 out?
You can book a 1:1 conversation with Susie or enrol in the academy to ace the art of public speaking
