Defining FEAR of Stuttering and Beyond

“Can a man be brave if he is afraid?

THAT IS THE ONLY TIME A MAN CAN BE BRAVE…”

— George R.R. Martin, American Novelist

Do you experience fear? Fear of heights, fear of death, fear of being alone, fear of stuttering — or other fears? Everyone in this world fears something. Fear comes in two types: short-term and long-term. Short-term fear is often helpful — it sharpens decision-making and pushes your potential to the limit. Long-term fear, however, can be debilitating, causing anxiety and physical symptoms whenever you face a stressful situation.

Is fear bad? Absolutely not. In fact, fear is a survival instinct. When a deer is chased by a lion, adrenaline spikes, making it run faster to survive — it’s running for its life, while the lion is running for its meal. Fear is useful — but only if you don’t get stuck in it.

Do Non-Stutterers Experience Stage Fright?

Absolutely! Non-stutterers often stumble on stage too. They might say “AAA,” “AHH,” or “OOO” and repeat phrases. I once asked a friend (a non-stutterer) if she felt nervous during a mic speech. She said yes, she forgot what she planned to say and ended up saying something completely different — something she didn’t even remember afterward! Fear is a common trigger for stuttering. When I was the Mistress of Ceremony at my former company’s town hall, I practiced my speech several times — but I didn’t focus on every word. Instead, I focused on the main ideas and the speech tools (crutches) I planned to use.

As I stepped on stage, my heart pounded, and I faced two choices:

1. Avoid speaking, and remain a prisoner of my stutter forever, or
2. Face my fear, speak up, and build a positive memory that could help me in the future.

Of course, I was scared. Fear felt like either Forget Everything And Run or Face Everything And Rise. I chose to face it — and in the end, I spoke fluently, just like any non-stutterer.

Embracing Fear Through Speech Tools

The only way to overcome fear is to embrace it! Coach Lee has introduced us to the 13 most effective speech tools (crutches) to do just that. The beauty of these speech tools is that even when you’re terrified to speak in front of people, you can use one to help you get through it comfortably.

Your mind can either focus on fear — or focus on the crutch — but it can’t do both at once.

As long as you choose to focus on the crutch, success will be yours!