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Build your talk · Lesson 4 of 11

What to Do in the Minute Before You Speak

See when speaking nerves peak, why the audience notices less than you feel, and use a simple last-minute routine.

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THE WRITTEN LESSONFollow along at your pace

For most people the hardest moment of a talk is the very first one. This lesson shows when nerves are strongest, why the audience notices less than you think, and what to do in the minute before you start.

Nerves peak just before you start

Nerves follow a pattern. In one study, anxiety was highest just before the speech began, second highest when the talk was first assigned, and lowest while people were preparing. For new speakers, it usually falls as the talk goes on. So the hardest moment is often the very first one, and it does not last.

A line chart titled Nerves across four moments. The line starts at Medium when the talk is assigned, drops to Low while preparing, peaks in red just before, then falls in green while speaking, labeled Falls as you go. A note says Hardest: the first moment.(opens the full-size picture)
The peak comes just before you start, then it falls.

Know your first two sentences

That is why your first two sentences matter so much. Know them by heart. When your mind feels busy at the start, you will not need to think. You will just begin, and it gets easier as you go. This is a simple tip, not a tested one, but it costs nothing. Write the two sentences large on a card and say them aloud until they feel automatic.

A notecard with two highlighted lines, 1. My opening sentence and 2. My second sentence, and the note Written large, said aloud. A speaker at a lectern says By heart with a green check. A chip says A simple tip, not a tested one.(opens the full-size picture)
Two sentences on a card, learned by heart.

The audience sees less than you feel

Speakers usually think their nerves show more than they do. In one study, speakers rated their own anxiety higher than the audience did. Your racing heart feels loud to you, but the room mostly cannot see it.

A speaker with a thought bubble holding a storm cloud labeled How it feels, facing an audience where only a tiny cloud shows, labeled What they see. A bar chart compares a tall red bar, Speaker's rating, with a shorter purple bar, Audience's rating.(opens the full-size picture)
What it feels like inside is bigger than what the room sees.

Don’t announce your nerves

So don’t open with “Sorry, I’m really nervous.” That points people to something they probably had not noticed. Just start with your first sentence, the one you know by heart.

Two speech bubbles. The first, a crossed-out Sorry, I'm really nervous, is marked with a red cross and a note Points to what they missed. The second, Your first sentence, is marked with a green check and a note Start with what you know.(opens the full-size picture)
Skip the apology and start with what you know.

Quick tricks, with care

Saying “I am excited” out loud costs nothing to try. One study found it helped. A newer study found people felt more excited, but their talks were no better. Power poses, standing with your hands on your hips, did not change body stress hormones either. Try them if you like, but don’t count on them.

Two cards. Say I am excited shows a speech bubble with the words I am excited and the note Free to try, may not help the talk. Power pose shows a figure with hands on hips and a red cross, with the words No change in stress hormones. A chip says Don't count on them.(opens the full-size picture)
Free to try, but don't count on them.

Your last minute

Here is a simple routine for the last minute. Notice your racing heart and name it: “my body is getting ready.” Walk up, slow and steady. Pause for one breath. Then say your first sentence.

Four numbered stops: a heart labeled Name it, My body is getting ready; a walking figure labeled Walk up, Slow and steady; a stopwatch labeled Pause, One breath; and a speech bubble labeled First sentence, The one you know.(opens the full-size picture)
Name it, walk up, pause, first sentence.

YOUR TURN

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Read the full lesson script

In this lesson, you'll see when nerves are strongest, why the audience notices less than you think, and what to do in the minute before you start.

Nerves follow a pattern. In one study, anxiety was highest just before the speech began, second highest when the talk was first assigned, and lowest while people were preparing. For new speakers, it usually falls as the talk goes on. So the hardest moment is often the very first one.

That's why your first two sentences matter so much. Know them by heart. When your mind feels busy at the start, you won't need to think. You'll just begin, and it gets easier as you go. It's a simple tip, not a tested one, but it costs nothing.

Here's some good news. Speakers usually think their nerves show more than they do. In one study, speakers rated their own anxiety higher than the audience did. Your racing heart feels loud to you, but the room mostly can't see it.

So don't announce your nerves. Opening with, sorry, I'm really nervous, points people to something they probably hadn't noticed. Just start with your first sentence.

What about quick tricks? Saying, I am excited, out loud costs nothing to try. One study found it helped. A newer study found people felt more excited, but their talks were no better. Power poses don't change your body's stress hormones either. So try them if you like, but don't count on them.

Here's a simple routine for the last minute. Notice your racing heart, and name it: my body is getting ready. Walk up. Pause for a moment. Then say your first sentence, the one you know by heart.

So remember: nerves peak just before you start. The audience sees much less than you feel. And know your first two sentences by heart. Before the next lesson, write your first two sentences for a talk or a meeting, and say them aloud five times. Next, you'll learn how to open strong.