How Public Speaking Becomes Enjoyable — Turning Fear, Nerves, and Avoidance Into Confidence and Energy

For many people, the phrase “public speaking” sits firmly in the realm of oxymoron. Enjoyable? Impossible.
Most are called upon to deliver a talk reluctantly—like a trip back to the dentist for a root canal. They speak without talent, without enthusiasm, and without preparation.

And as we rise in seniority in 日本企業 and 外資系企業, the amount, frequency, and stakes of public speaking increase dramatically. Yet no one warns you this is coming.
You suddenly find yourself giving speeches you never prepared for, never practiced, and never chose.

Still, even those who truly suffer—shaking hands, racing pulse, red face, dry throat, stomach knots—rarely seek training. They just move from one painful speaking experience to the next, damaging their personal and professional brand.

Mini-summary:
Public speaking feels painful because people are unprepared, untrained, and unfocused—not because speaking is inherently unpleasant.

Most business speeches are one-and-done.
One audience → one delivery → shelved forever.

This creates a paradox:
People fear speaking because they lack repetition, yet they avoid speaking, which denies them repetition.

It’s the Three Stooges volunteering gag: when a call for speakers comes up, two step back, making the remaining one “volunteer.” Nervous presenters do the same—they mentally step back every time.

But repetition doesn’t require multiple audiences.
Like kata training in karate, repetition comes from private practice:

• rehearse the speech many times

• refine wording, pauses, and gestures

• build fluency until the performance is automatic

No professional athlete or martial artist competes without practicing endlessly.
Why should your business reputation deserve less?

Mini-summary:
Repetition—through rehearsal, not just live performances—is the fastest path to eliminating fear.

When you rehearse thoroughly:

• your brain doesn’t trigger a full-scale “fight or flight” chemical reaction

• your body stays calmer

• your mind stays clearer

• your delivery becomes smoother

• nerves show up only as mild energy—not paralysis

Practice transforms panic into performance.

Mini-summary:
Rehearsal prevents the chemical stress response that causes debilitating stage fright.

Nervous speakers obsess over themselves:

• How will they judge me?

• What if I fail?

• What if I forget something?

• What if I embarrass myself?

This self-focus amplifies fear.

The fix?
Shift the “who” of the speech.

Not what the speech is about—
but WHO it is about.

When you focus on the audience:

• you give each person six seconds of eye contact

• you read their reactions

• you adjust your energy

• you push harder when they drift

• you pump your ki (気) into the room

• you use gestures that reinforce meaning

• you vary tone, pace, and power

Suddenly, you’re not fighting fear—you’re leading people.

Mini-summary:
Fear disappears when the purpose shifts from protecting yourself to serving the audience.

Once you shift your focus outward, something magical happens:

• People smile

• They nod

• They laugh

• They follow your narrative

• They lean in—just a few millimeters at first

But when 20… 50… 100 people all lean in at the same moment?

It hits you like a surge of electricity.

This is the moment when public speaking stops being an obligation and becomes a pleasure—an energizing, addictive, deeply satisfying experience.

You’re no longer surviving the speech.
You’re enjoying the connection.

Mini-summary:
When audiences lean in, the presenter experiences a powerful emotional reward—turning speaking into a pleasure, not a duty.

• Public speaking becomes enjoyable when you are prepared—not when you are lucky.

• Training matters, but repetition matters even more.

• Practice privately until the speech becomes automatic.

• Make the speech about the audience—not your fears.

• Use eye contact, energy, body language, and vocal variety to engage listeners.

• The “lean-in moment” is the speaker’s reward—and it fuels the desire to speak again.

Founded in the U.S. in 1912, Dale Carnegie Training has supported individuals and companies worldwide for over a century in leadership, sales, presentation, executive coaching, and DEI. Our Tokyo office, established in 1963, has been empowering both Japanese and multinational corporate clients ever since.