How To Make People Nervous

Hands shaking, trembling of fingers and a sudden urge of swimming can be a symptom of something wrong with your body. It happens to me when I am supposed to go on stage. The first time I went – it was a frightening experience and I promised to not go again.

Growing up, I realized it is foolish of me to stay out of uncomfort. You have to face your fears regardless.

So be it dance, play or simply attending the stage where lots of eyes will be on you, I started to go on often.

The fear didn’t go away. But slowly I became more confident and less shaky. And now I am in an okay stage where I feel little nervousness until I speak my first words. Then everything falls in place.

Fearing what will happen, what people will say won’t go away but you have to face it. Because that’s the only way to move ahead.

The Test

When you apply for a job, if it is easy to apply and do other checklist items then the job, role and pay will be something low value. Because if anyone can do it and you are finding it easy then is it even worth the project you are looking for.

On the flip side, many employers use wrong metrics to judge people. For example, they will call you for a lame job and then keep you waiting for hours, switch on the AC and not allow you to leave. Because anytime your name can be called.

You feel nervous and for the fear of missing out, you stay in that uncomfortable zone. Many people leave and then they do some other random sorting and hire one among them.

This works because the role they are hiring for is lame one. If you need someone to bring a change, lead a team and other valuable things then you need to make everyone comfortable, give them a test project and then see who can excel.

And these results shouldn’t be based on some random metric – rather the impact people feel, the growth one can envision in long term and the ability to stand when things falter.

Everyone vs YOU

When you get to the point where you fear or feel nervous doing something, you have this illusion in mind that is the worst thing in the world.

Let me break that myth to you – whatever happens even if you bomb the stage or make a fool out of yourself, it ain’t the worst thing.

Also, most of the people go through the same challenges as you – and they have to overcome or face them at their own pace. It happens and you are normal to feel the weight when you have to do something scary like public speaking.

But as you have learnt till now, do it anyway – there is no other way. And do it again till you either overcome it or you deliver despite the nervous.

Because great speeches aren’t made by crystal clear voice rather it is made by good and moving words. Focus on that and you will be fine, now go make something.