And that is exactly what it is for most of us – survival – hanging in there, doing job that kills our soul, taking on contracts that turn our gut because we believe there is no other option, doing food that causes our major organs to breakdown, living at a financial level just above subsistence level, with just about enough money left at end of week to buy a tin of food for that dog.

Will you wake up, please? Will you see how your instincts are telling you about your work? Will you find work that gives you life instead of sapping every living cell out of you? Will you notice that ill health is a hint that you need to eat better and exercise more? Will you take hint that there is something you can do to save your marriage or relationship?

Instinct is only about feeling something and acting. It could save your career, your finances, your relationship and you life.

ANTIDOTE: Convert unknown to known. The more information you gather on audience and more intensive your practice session, more unknown will be converted to known.

Guard against procrastination, however, because we tend to accomplish what is in our comfort zone, and put off more difficult tasks, such as systematic audience intelligence collection and rigorous practice. Bite bullet, and you will have those fears of unknown dramatically reduced.

2. FEAR OF FORGETTING. When told they will have to make a presentation, most people are consumed by fear their mind will go blank, and they will stand in front of audience without slightest idea of what they are to say.

They play it safe, write out their presentation, and read it verbatim to audience. This guarantees failure People in an audience want to listen to a speaker who is connecting with them, and is looking at them, not at a script.

ANTIDOTE: If you have practiced diligently, even a temporary "power outage" of your brain can be handled.

The solution I have always used is what I call two-card tango. Place a startling statistic or interesting fact that you have had to delete for reasons of time on a 3x5 card.

On second card, place a bullet outline of main points of your presentation. If convenient, place these cards in your pocket or on lectern.

When "My mind has gone blank" syndrome sets in, merely take both cards and say to audience "Let me digress for a moment and share with you...." then relate information on first card. If you have prepared well, your mind will kick back in, and you can continue where you left off.

If it does not, slide second card to front, and look at bullet points. Select one point and continue presentation. Your audience will be none wiser.

Although I always advocate honesty with your audience, I do not recommend that you say "I forgot what I was going to say." You may get temporary sympathy, but audience members will wonder why they are sitting there if issue is not important enough for speaker to remember what he or she was saying.

3. FEAR OF UNANTICIPATED QUESTIONS. Many people are not worried about making a presentation, because they are "on their turf." These same people, however, are terrified at prospect of answering questions, believing they will be embarrassed by not being able to answer questions.

ANTIDOTE: Seek to anticipate questions. If you have acquired accurate "intelligence" on audience's needs, concerns and problems, then you should be able to preempt certain questions in your presentation, anticipate others, and develop succinct answers to others.

No one expects you to be able to answer every question, but they do expect you to be honest. Don't give a false answer to avoid embarrassment of saying: "I don't know." That honest phrase, followed by words "but I'll get that information for you," must be in every presenter's vocabulary.

When you make commitment to get information, remember that you have a moral obligation to do just that for questioner and perhaps entire audience.

Apply these antidotes, and you'll find that "fear of speaking" will be catalyst to make you a better speaker.