TALKTIPS DAY 21: Take Comfort — Your Heart May Attack and Kill You

Before every single talk I do, my heart feels like it is trying to attack and kill me. Or at the very least, it’s trying to escape my chest.

Hundreds of talks given. Terrified. Every. Time.

I’ve grown to feel some comfort in that feeling of the pre-talk heart attack. That feeling reminds me that I care how I do up there. As much as I know I will not engage and resonate with every single person in the audience, I want to. My pounding, racing heart reminds me that I care about the time the audience is giving me. I care that they feel like they got some value from my efforts.

My tip for today is for those who feel that heart-pounding horror.
Try spinning the feeling of horror into something you trust. Let that fear know you can be friends, and get through it together. That pounding of your heart is a reminder that despite your best efforts, you care how this goes and your crazy little heart is giving you enough energy to share with every single person in that audience that wants to accept it.

*Credit for the phrasing *your heart will attack and kill you* goes to Norm MacDonald.

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Jaimee Newberry is COO at MartianCraft, a professional experimenter, speaker and writer who lives, learns and fumbles out loud. She’s the founder of tinychallenges.com , co-host of the tinychallenges podcast, and an advocate for women in tech. She’s also the independent mother of two girls and two cats, and girlfriend of a beautiful, shy man who likes to remain mostly anonymous. More at jaimeejaimee.com

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