Although I never play tennis, I suffer from the odd bout of tennis elbow. So, I occasionally get some physio to cure what ails me.

Yes, I know – aw!

Anyway, while being subjected to a torture session this morning – I was asked to do an exercise I considered anatomically impossible!

After expressing my utter disbelief that I could complete said stretches, my physio (who I like to call ‘Evil Pain Merchant’ and other names) said:

“No problem. Here, let me show you. You’ll be surprised by what you can do.”

He then twisted me in ways I didn’t think I could move, smiled and came out with the following understatement:

“You’ll be fine now – I just moved you past your comfort zone!”

Just past?

Let me tell you – as someone with a very low threshold of pain – my immediate reaction didn’t include the word ‘comfort’ in the sentence!

But…

… After the pain subsided, I felt so much better. Any tension I may have had before disappeared.

A miracle!

I had been rewarded for making 2 decisions:

• Confronting a problem that would hold me back if I didn’t fix it.
• Placing confidence in an expert’s help to tackle an issue I would have struggled to address on my own.

All of which got me thinking…

…What Stops Speakers From Breaking Though Comfort Zones?

You see, unlike my story today – truth is, learning how to speak in public doesn’t have to hurt. It can be easy.

It’s just a matter of learning how.

Of course, there’s an elephant in the room. As discussed last week and in many previous posts – getting past a fear of public speaking can act as a hurdle for far too many adults.

But interestingly, it’s not just a fear of the unknown that causes many of us to stay seated and not speak on occasions when we know we should.

Sometimes it’s a case of reluctance to challenge comfort zones. To test or push ourselves in new ways and risk the consequences of being more visible.

Inaction can seem like an easy way out.

But distinct from my trip to the phsyio – which was prompted by physical aches – the price of not pushing through your comfort zone and becoming a confident speaker may not strike you in quite the same way or with a similar sense or urgency.

Yet, there are many reasons why getting past inertia and in front of your target audiences is so important. And top of the list are:

• The opportunity to gain greater access to, and undivided attention from, those you want to persuade

• The value of being seen and heard – allowing you to establish more trust by demonstrating knowledge and expertise

And why do these matter so much?

It’s because speaking directly to others allows you to create greater emotional connection…

…Something that is so much harder to achieve if you rely on people to read your thoughts.

Be in no doubt, without emotional reactions – audiences will feel far less compelled to remember or do a blind thing.

Are You Ready to Put Public Speaking Skills Into Your Comfort Zone?

Given the knowledge that speaking up can open up so many doors and possibilities for us in almost every walk of life and business…

…isn’t it worth taking steps to breakthrough comfort zones and any other barriers that get in the way of getting vital communication skills everyone should have?

And like every journey, it has to start with a first step.

If you’re ready to find out what it takes to boost your confidence as a speaker the easy way (in a strictly pain free zone)…

… get in touch with us today. You’ll be glad you did.