As an introvert, public speaking is without a doubt one of the biggest causes of fear, whether in school or a professional environment. While this skill can translate into many different facets of life, like speaking up when an instructor or leader asks a question, advocating for yourself to others in various ways, or, perhaps more commonly in high school and college life, presentations, there are some ways to boost a person's confidence to ace the presentation and become more sure of yourself in the process. This article will focus primarily on presentations.

Dressing for success is another adage, but it likewise can help to build confidence. This is not to say you must wear a pantsuit or a tie, but instead, simply work to identify the outfits that make you feel good about yourself. If you love Hawaiian shirts and this is the type of venue that does not enforce a dress code, go for it! Dress like the presenter is dressing. She has confidence in her style. So should you.

Beyond that, there are some other valuable ways to play the part of an engaging speaker, one you would want to listen to yourself. First, be an engaging speaker. In a classroom setting, chances are you will present on a topic associated with something learned in class. Make sure to build a strong connection there, as well as tie your classmates' interests to it. Why is it important to them? How could this impact them in the future? Ask yourself that. Or, better yet, ask them that. As a second, perhaps more effective way to engage your audience, ask them questions. Nothing is more engaging than making eye contact with someone and offering them the chance to add their own value to the presentation and learning experience. Pro tip, however: be prepared with an answer, as they may not give you the one you wanted, or perhaps fail to answer you at all. Always have a backup plan.

Likewise, when receiving criticism, whether written or verbal, listen closely. This will help you understand what needs improvement, while also boosting your confidence in a rather unique way: while you undoubtedly need to work on a few things, there were parts of your presentation that were not criticized. Focus on those when you need a confidence boost, then, when you are feeling good about yourself, think about how you can incorporate the criticisms into worthwhile and meaningful improvements to your work.

There are certainly other ways to calm yourself before presentations, like doing deep audience analysis to know who exactly you are presenting to, or various mindfulness or holistic practices (meditation, calming foods, smells, deep breathing, etc.), but overall, these three methods will boost your confidence like nothing else. The trick is to get to the point where you no longer have to worry about what you are presenting in terms of content. That way, you can turn your focus solely to how you are presenting not only the content, but also yourself. Preparation, overall else, is the key to success in presenting to large groups.