How I conquered one of my greatest fears

When I was in my early twenties I played football for a major university. Because of my (perceived status) in the town where I played, I was often asked to speak in public. Getting up in front of even a small group of people was absolutely terrifying to me and I came up with any excuse I could think of to avoid this nightmare. I read several books on the topic and forced myself to face my fear and try my best. Gradually, as I attained more experience and small successes along the way, I got to the point that I could actually tolerate the stress. It has been many years since I first spoke in public and now I can say that I no longer fear and actually enjoy giving presentations or speeches. Facing and conquering this fear has done wonders for my confidence and poise, not only in speaking but in all areas of my life, personal and professional. Now it’s on to sky diving and bungee jumping! Right!

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