You know how some people they have this high level of confidence when speaking in front of a huge crowd ? Public Speakers, debaters, students running for positions in University and what not. Each of them have this confidence that everyone admire. I mean not everyone can speak clearly and loudly in front of a crowd with confidence and also might I add makes any sense on what they are speaking. Speaking with confidence is really something, speaking with confidence and speaks about something clearly that everyone listening to him or her speak understand is something else!
Then there are some that are fully confident behind the scenes. I am not referring to those doing the work behind the scenes. I am referring to those that are mostly hot shots in front of their peers but acts like melting ice at the north pole when they are out in front of a huge audience. I've actually met a few of these people. The later I mean. Not only one or two but more than 5 !
These people would brag about how they have all sorts of great ideas or how they have so much experience in presenting or working with large audience or whatever they are about to do or how they had practice a whole week for the class presentation they are about to do but when they once they are up on stage or in front of the class or audience its like they're a whole different person. Its not like they suddenly turn to Oprah or Tyra or President Obama. Its more like changing into Casper's scarred little cousin. If you're lucky, some might even become dancers. Swinging their hands in front of people while doing their presentations in order to rid of their nervousness. You know its not working if you're swinging your hands back and forth or scratching your hands at the nearest object you can reach from the beginning of your presentation till the end.
Now I'm not saying that I am the master of presentation or public speaking or anything. It does not mean that I dance in front of a huge crowd at events, big or small means that I am UBER confident at public speaking. Hell no. Even before every performance, people that know me well will know that I would cough out air till the point I'm about to vomit. I don't know why but it works for me. Its as if I'm puking out butterflies that are trapped in my stomach. Even before presentations I would also do the same thing. Still dancing and public speaking are 2 very different things. Dancing....well yeah you just dance without saying a word. You just move your body and make facial expressions appropriate to the dance. Public Speaking on the other hand....where do I start ? The hand gestures, the voice tones, body language, volume etc etc. That's why at times when I am doing presentations, my body movement is all over the place. Its not those habits where I scratch things or swing my arms back and forth. Its more of like .... dancing. Maybe I'm so used to move like so in front of people that it has become sort of a habit for me. To some it does look weird but hey....all eyes are on me anyway and getting people's attention during presentations/public speaking/debating is really really important. What's the point of having the 'fake' confidence if no one is paying attention or half of the class is dozing off ?
If no one notices that people aren't paying attention to you its ok. But if one person or two notices the other classmates are not paying attention and the lecturers are dozing off, you look pretty stupid to be honest.
Why would people be all "I'm very confident, I've practised so much, I've done so much preparations for this presentation" when in the end you're just standing there shaking like a naked guy at some cold storage and nothing comes out of your mouth....when ever this type of person presents I usually imagine a subtitle appearing in front of them saying "Over Confident".... I bet mine would read "Lost Crazy Belly Dancer" .
