After all, the mechanics are the same. It’s not about the talking; we do that all day long. It’s not about the standing; we stand around in kitchens and living rooms at friends’ houses and talk with no problem.
It’s about being the center of attention. When you’re the only person standing in a room, and everyone else is looking at you, it can feel threatening. It makes us feel vulnerable to have dozens or hundreds of eyes all on us at once—evolutionarily, that was a bad position to be in. It meant we were isolated, and the eyes looking at us were likely to be those of a pack of predators. The oldest part of your brain, the brain stem, way in the back, is responsible for keeping you alive. It doesn’t know the difference between the eyes of a pack of hyenas and the eyes of the accounting department. It just wants to keep you safe, so it floods your body with adrenaline and cortisol. Awesome if you need to get out of there; less so if you want to give your presentation.
Here’s the good news—the eyes aren’t a mob of wildebeests planning their attack. They’re people just like you, interested in what you’re going to say. Tell your brain stem thanks, but you’ve got this. Remember your intention, breathe, and go. You’ve got this.
