Managing nerves

- The first time I ever agreed to speak at an event, I spent, no joke, about two weeks in advance experiencing crushing nerves. I would lie awake at night terrified that I would get ridiculed off the stage, convinced I was absolutely in no way qualified or expert enough to teach a large room of people anything of value. I used to be plagued by nervousness, getting even more worried at the thought that I would look nervous and then start panicking about how to hide the nerves. Even to the extent where I would turn down opportunities to avoid that uncomfortable feeling of apprehension. I like reflecting on this now, having made a career of speaking to large crowds. Maybe this is familiar to you. It wouldn't surprise me at all if this is something you experience, because in my line of work, I see thousands of people at all stages of their careers feeling the very same thing. Nerves can be debilitating and not hugely…