Why Overpreparing Can Increase Presentation Nerves
You’ve gone over the talking points.
You’ve practiced your tone, your timing, your opening line.
You’ve even rehearsed answers to questions they might ask.
And yet, even with all that, when it’s go-time?
Your heart races.
Your mind scatters.
Your voice tightens.
And you walk away wondering, “Why do I still get so nervous?”
This can be the trap of over-preparing.
And if you’re a thoughtful, introverted professional,
You might know this feeling intimately.
Preparation Without Presence
Don’t get me wrong. Preparing for a presentation is a good thing.
But here’s what most people don’t realize:
Preparing can bleed into over-preparing, which can seem like the right thing to do, but it often just creates an illusion of control.
And it only masks the anxiety. It doesn’t address it.
If you spend all your energy rehearsing the words, you may forget about:
Breathing
How your throat feels and how your voice sounds
Paying attention to who’s in the room
Connecting with the people you’re speaking to.
That’s why so many high-achieving professionals walk away from presentations or meetings feeling disconnected and dissatisfied.
You think you did everything “right.”
But you still didn’t feel successful.
From Performance to Real Presence
If we shift from memorizing to embodying, we can get a different outcome.
Here’s how:
1. Rehearse Less. Reflect More.
Instead of going over your script 20 times, cut that back to 10 and ask yourself:
What’s the one message I want them to walk away with?
What do I want them to feel when I speak?
You’re not just preparing content. You’re preparing to deliver a state of mind.
2. Wean Yourself away from Your Script.
Start practicing with your full script;
Then pare back to bullet points organized by paragraphs or sections of your talk;
Then pare back again to just a key word for each bullet.
This helps you learn your talk, to stay flexible and deliver it authentically.
Real life rarely sticks to the script. You don’t need to either.
3. Simulate Disruptions
Ask someone to interrupt you with questions.
Practice your message in a noisy space.
This helps you get used to adjusting on the fly.
Composure isn’t built practicing in a silence space. It’s built practicing in chaos.
4. Use the Body, not just the Brain
Confidence isn’t a thought. It’s a sensation.
Ground your feet and lower body
Relax your shoulders and look straight ahead
Slow and deepen your breathing
This allows you to speak with your whole body, not just your mouth.
5. Redefine What “Ready” Means
What if being ready isn’t about performing flawlessly, but about communicating and connecting with your audience?
That requires:
Pausing intentionally
Being honest (and maybe funny) when you lose your place
Maintaining eye contact
Recovering with grace, not panic
🗣 Final Thought
You don’t need more repetitions of your script.
You need a process that will help you stay calm, even when things go sideways (because they will).
Real presence isn’t built by memorizing a perfect script.
It’s built by trusting yourself, your message, and your ability to adapt.
And that’s something you can practice.
🎁 Ready to stop rehearsing and start showing up?
