158: Dealing with Uncertainty and Fear When Public Speaking [Mindset Series]

Public speaking can certainly bring about nerves and uncertainty, whether you’re a new speaker or you’ve been speaking a while and want to try something new on stage or with a larger audience.

In this episode, Diane Diaz and I talk about:

• The improv class we’re taking and what we’ve learned so far that can help you
• Our own personal experiences of feeling uncertain about new experiences
• How Diane is approaching hiking part of the Appalachian Trail next year (bears, oh my!)
• How I’m approaching writing my book proposal and book this year (self-doubt, for sure!)
• How some of our clients have approached dealing with uncertainty and fear
• The benefits of uncertainty - that’s where growth comes from

Interestingly, the week we recorded this episode, I had received an email newsletter from Leo Babauta of Zen Habits about uncertainty.

Here’s what he wrote:

“The first mindset shift to consider is that uncertainty is not bad, or something to be avoided. It’s a natural part of doing anything meaningful. In fact, feeling uncertainty is a great sign that you’re doing something challenging and meaningful.

“The second mindset shift is to see an uncertain path as a practice opportunity. It’s not something to run from, but a place to stay, so that we can grow, learn, and create.”

Embrace trying new things and having new experiences, both on stage and off.

What’s something new you want to do this year? Let me know on LinkedIn!

Speaking of LinkedIn, have you purchased our LinkedIn for Speakers masterclass yet?

Users are loving it! Here’s a recent review:

“For months, I have moved the ‘learn to leverage LinkedIn’ task from one month to the next. Finding a class with the content, expertise and price point to fit my needs was a challenge. Finally success - I found Diane! She did a wonderful job focusing on the how's and why's of each topic. Her modules were well-organized to build upon one another and just the right length to absorb and apply the material. Because of the LinkedIn Masterclass, I am ready to leverage the platform to build my brand and grow my business. I could not be more pleased.”

Get instant access to the online masterclass at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/linkedin.

About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox, joined in this episode by our top speaking coach Diane Diaz. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks and gain more visibility to achieve their goals. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power: on stages, in businesses, on boards, in the media, in politics, and in our communities. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/158

Get our LinkedIn for Speakers online masterclass at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/linkedin.

Connect on LinkedIn:

• Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox
• Diane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz

Book Writing Resources Mentioned:

• The Busy Woman’s Guide to Writing a World-Changing Book by Cynthia Morris
• Book Proposal Academy with Joelle Hahn

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 71: Using Humor in Your Talks Will Get You More Speaking Gigs with Kathy Klotz-Guest
• Episode 127: Developing Confidence in Public Speaking [Confidence Series]
• Episode 129: From Fear of Speaking to Keynote Speaker in 2 Years with Dr. Charmaine Gregory [Confidence Series]
• Episode 131: Pitching and Negotiating for Bigger Speaking Opportunities with Maureen Taylor [Confidence Series]

Become Bookable Live Online Workshop - April 15, 2026
If you want to speak more but you’re not sure where to start or your efforts haven’t produced the results you want, I’m hosting a live online workshop called “Become Bookable: How to Get Speaking Invitations” on Wednesday, April 15th.

A lot of brilliant women assume they just need to pitch themselves more. But the real reason speakers get invited isn’t because they pitch harder — it’s because they’re positioned as bookable.

In this 3-hour interactive workshop live on Zoom, I’ll show you how speakers actually get invited — and help you clarify the positioning that makes event organizers say yes.

As a podcast listener, use the coupon code “Podcast100” to save $100 on your registration.

Learn more and register at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/bookable