Fear in Golf Causes Tension

Your worry or fear of failure in golf is linked in some form to your ego. Perhaps you feel that losing means you are a loser or that bad games make you a bad person in other golfers eyes? Fear of humiliation is an emotion to be taken seriously as it is a very powerful motivator and will cause real tension in our bodies when they need to be relaxed and flowing naturally. I can assure you that you are not your bad shots. Messing up does not make you a bad person in any way, just human.

1st tee Nerves Kill Performance

You walk onto the 1st tee in the monthly medal, club championship or maybe it is your weekly match with your friends and you do not want to mess up in front of everyone by hitting a poor shot. Maybe you have a bad shot you have hit before or you just do not want to start out with an embarrassing hack, skull or slice into the rubbish. Tension is building as your mind and body prepare to defend themselves against humiliation.

Pressure Putt on the 18th to Win

You have had a tough match against your opponents and the lead has gone back and forth or perhaps you were well behind an have managed to fight back fantastically to take it to the 18th. Now here you are on the green and all you need is 2 putts to win but you are 30ft away and memories of 3 putting are drifting around in your head. You are thinking hard and trying to not 3 putt, just get it close so it is given. The tension in your body is increasing as you worry about not closing out the match and choking on the 18th green.

Staying in the Present there is No Fear

In the present there is no fear because in the present there is no outcome of a shot. If you are fully absorbed in the present moment then you will have no thoughts about what might happen, as that is the future which has not yet happened. To be fully present means that you will have no thoughts about what happened in the past, a missed 2 footer, slice out of bounds, so past poor performances will not affect you. It is not possible to have any fear or worry when you are fully in the present and this is why it is the perfect state to perform from.

Creating a Negative Future

Thinking about results is allowing your mind to go forward into the future. You are not focussed on the present moment and the present task but instead you are creating in your mind a future that has not happened yet. Thinking about the consequences of a missed putt or poor drive, you are creating a negative future, programming your mind to perform it and creating tension in your body as you think about a bad event happening to you. You become tense and uptight from where you are even more likely to hit the bad shot.

Creating a Negative Past

We can use our example of the 18th green needing a 2 putt from 30 feet to win or perhaps it is just a little 3 footer to win. You remember back to another green where you messed up and 3 putted from about the same distance or missed a short little putt that was almost a given. Your mind is remembering the disappointment, perhaps anger and now you are thinking about the possibility that it may happen again. Tension is rising as your mind body system prepares to defend against this negative event. You are going to be very tight and tense over this putt which makes it very likely you will stroke the ball badly. As you think about the poor putts, images are flowing through your mind of the putt you do not want and your unconscious mind will try to replicate those images.

Develop Pre Shot Routine

You must develop a very solid, regimented Pre Shot Routine for every shot you play in golf whether it is a 2 foot putt or a driver off the tee. Your routine must be repeated exactly every time so that it becomes a deeply ingrained habit that becomes so strong that you cannot play a shot without going through it. This habit for every shot will become like a little comfort blanket and help you to relax and fully focus on the steps in the routine. Fully focussed on the steps in the routine you are in the present.

Practice like you want to play

Never rake and hit golf balls because you are developing nothing but a practice hitting memory that has nothing to do with playing on the golf course. Your practice should resemble how you will play. Hit one shot at a time by first picking a precise target and then going through your entire pre-shot routine for each and every shot. Work on staying completely in the present by really concentrating on getting your grip, aim, stance and posture right and imagining your ball flight to the target. Hit different clubs at different targets pretending you are playing a round of golf.

Learn the Mental Game of Golf

There are many aspects of the Mental Game of Golf and it is both a fascinating and liberating subject to learn and put into practice both on and off the golf course. As you learn about the Mental Game and implement the correct thinking and tactics into your golf and life you will begin to get truly great results that may really surprise and delight you. You will learn to play with a new found confidence and get a great deal more pleasure form the great game.

Necklaces and pendants are one of the earliest accessories to have ever existed. They were there at the start of human civilization and have maintained their fashion status even at the present. They, too, have evolved from the crude rock and twine to today’s dazzling versions. This holiday season, no woman could ever say “no” to one of fashion accessory’s most potent facet. And if you are worried over getting that perfect gift for your loved one this Christmas, you can worry no more. Here is a list of the Top 10 Necklaces and Pendants, your ticket to finding the best jewelry Christmas gifts for 2008. Enjoy!

1. Journey Curve Diamond Pendant – This pendant is the embodiment of what’s classy and what’s sexy. Seven small diamond stones are set an S-like frame. You can choose between a radiant 14K yellow-gold or an elegant white-gold finish. It also comes with an 18-inch box-type chain.

2. Karat Platinum Floating Heart Pendant – Now she’ll always have your heart. Well, in a.585 PT version, that is. Sixteen millimeters in height and fifteen millimeters in width, this little charm is sweet in the girlish heart design, but sexy at the same time with the slightly lopsided shape it takes. It likewise comes with a karat platinum chain and the standard regal blue sueded-cloth pouch.

3. Glass Heart Pendant – The garnet glass heart (in red, of course) lies partially encased in intertwined curves and swirls of sterling silver marcasite. The pendant hangs from an 18-inch Singapore twist chain. There are a million ways to show your love. And this glass heart pendant is one memorable way to show yours.

4. Filigree Circle Pendant – Looking for something exotic, funky, but classy at the same time? Well, this filigree pendant ought to do the trick. Constructed from sterling silver, this pendant shows off an intricate intertwining of lines and curves, an interesting and eye-catching piece of art. It includes an 18-inch matching sterling silver chain.

5. Diamond Cat Pendant – Is she a cat-lover? Then she’ll sure love this piece. This pendant uses 65 diamond stone pieces to form a cat’s silhoutte that comes complete with rose gold whiskers and kitty collar. The charming piece that it is, would absolutely be a hit to cats and feline lovers alike.

6. Diamond-Cut Chain Necklace – Simple. Elegant. That is this diamond-cut chain necklace. Made from genuine 14K yellow-gold chain, this piece is for the minimalists who opt for lowkey accessories. This Espiga-chain type necklace best exemplifies that sometimes, less is more.

7. Double Flower Pendant – Nothing says delicate beauty more than a flower. And this double flower pendant crafted from pure sterling silver would be a great addition to the jewelry collection of your delicately beautiful loved one. It comes with a choice of 16-inch or 18-inch sterling silver curb chain.

8. Infinity Pendant – How do you say “forever?” Well, with diamonds and an infinity pendant, of course. Fifty diamond and black diamond stones are arranged as intertwined curves in this one-of-a-kind piece. It hangs from a white gold 18-inch rope chain and comes inside a regal blue cloth box.

9. Pearl Necklace – From the Augustina Jewelry line comes 70 6mm white Akoya Saltwater cultured pearls strung up into this 18-inch neck piece. You can never go wrong with pearl necklaces. They’re classic, they’re elegant, they look good on anyone and can make anyone look good as well.

10. Butterfly Pendant – This enchanting piece is constructed from pure 14K white-gold and shaped into a delicate butterfly. Strategic curves, along with diamonds, accent the entire design. This comes with matching white gold rope chain.

Once again Christmas is just around the corner. It seems that it gets here faster each year – having gone from taking absolutely forever when I was a child, to seemingly arriving five minutes after the last one is over these days!

Of course, along with the impending celebration and holidays, comes the dilemma of what to buy that special someone. We all know that Christmas present ideas can be hard to come up with year after year!

I know that for myself, when I’m trying to think of Christmas gift ideas and deciding what to buy for someone that I care about, I want to get something that matters. Not just some socks, undies or perfume, but something that the person that I’m buying for will really appreciate. I want to buy them something that they’ll treasure. Something that they’ll thank me for, and in particular, a gift that will have a positive influence on their life in some way.

That last ideal, for me, is the most important. I’m very conscious these days of not just spending money for the sake of spending money or buying just for the sake of buying. I want to make a difference. To leave a positive influence on the people I care about and on the planet.

One of my favorite Xmas gift ideas in recent years has been books. Not simply novels, but books that can make a difference and will (hopefully) make the recipients life better in some way. Books that cater to their hobbies, interests or needs.

Examples of recent books that I’ve given as Xmas gifts have been recipe books, personal development and motivational books, books of quotes and positive affirmations, art and poetry. Books that are educational and inspirational!

Books have the ability to change a persons life. On the subject of our potential growth as an individual, a very wise man once said that ‘we will be the same person in ten years time as we are today – apart from the people we meet and the books we read’.

That is very true because it is these two things that have the ability to educate, inspire and change our thinking, our outlook and ultimately our actions. So, books can make wonderful Xmas gift ideas.

Now, however there is something better. Portable eBook readers such as the Amazon Kindle! These can allow the owner access to thousands of books, all available on one device. Thousands of books that can be carried around in a device that can be smaller and lighter than a small paperback book.

Possibly the best of these portable eBook readers, and the original ereader, is the Amazon Kindle. It has to be one of the best Christmas present ideas this year as Amazon have just released their newest models and they’re amazing! Small, lightweight, incredibly user friendly, with a fantastic screen and the capacity to store up to 3,500 books on one little device! And the new Kindle Fire takes it even further with movies, games and TV on a stunning 7 inch color screen.

Because the Kindle is Amazon’s product and Amazon is first and foremost a book store, Kindle owners have access to 1.8 million free copyright expired books, as well as millions of the most popular books on the market and the Kindle editions are much less expensive than hard copy books with 800,000 of them under $9.99 in price.

These portable eBook readers really are a gift that keeps on giving, providing continuous entertainment, knowledge, inspiration and education.

If you’re looking for cool Christmas gifts or unusual Christmas gift ideas, or in fact gifts at any time of the year for any occasion, you’ll be hard pressed to beat the Amazon Kindle. The new Kindle is well priced and it’s definitely on my Xmas list!

The 3 B’s to work to when you are getting your property ready to rent will make sure you maximize the potential of your property to attract the right tenants and let quickly.

BIGGER

No matter the size of your property you need to present every room to look as spacious as possible. First remove all clutter, excessive furniture and any personal photos and ornaments off the walls. Tenants need to visualize themselves and their belongings in the space without thinking too hard.

In most properties decent sized rooms are made to look smaller because of too much furniture. Even if you intend to rent the property furnished you don’t need too many pieces just the basics will do. The layout of a room is all about creating an illusion of space.

BRIGHTER

Make sure the windows are clean and have light colored curtains/blinds to maximize the amount of light shining through the property. Leave the curtain and windows open (especially if you have nice views) during viewings so the property appears airy but don’t forget to close them when you are done!

People naturally prefer discrete colouring. If the property is to be painted light tones such as beige, jasmine white (not white as it will look too clinical) are best.

The property must be kept clean so it looks bright and habitable. It is important to make sure that it looks its best so get your friends and family round to help you give it a good scrub from top to bottom.

BETTER

Check out the local competition by looking at the internal photos of similar properties on the market on various websites. You need to know what other properties on the market look like and how they are presented as tenants will be viewing these houses and comparing before making their decision of which property to take.

To make your property stand out from the one next door you need to know what you are up against and then just make a few minor adjustments and of course do some cleaning!

HOW TO CREATE THE ‘X’ FACTOR

Create an ‘X’ factor for your property. I use the word create because not every property will naturally possess one. For example if you are fortunate to have beautiful views and gardens, make sure the windows are clean and blinds/patio doors open.

If you don’t have any natural ‘X’ factors then look at the following points to create one:

Purchase simple but different looking light fittings and fixtures

Paint one wall of a good sized room a different color to create a warm focal point and

Put some vases with fresh flowers on the fire place or window sill

Use rugs, floor mats and key pieces of furniture to break up dead space and use them to show how the room can be divided up for different functions

Paint your front door a warm shade of ‘red’ – it will look inviting and give your property a point of difference to be remembered

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Bathrooms and kitchens are usually the most important to a tenant. Bathrooms must have white suites (not pea green!) and be kept clean at all times. Kitchens well fitted, neutrally decorated, well laid out and have plenty of storage space in relation to its size.

It’s that time of the year to buy your beau a birthday present and whilst hours spent perusing the isles of department stores usually seems like so much fun when it’s getting a present for him the fun seems to stop for some reason. You want to connect how special he is to you but not go overboard. You want the present to be fun and exciting but it needs to be a bit memorable …Ok, take a deep breathe and relax. In a few minutes you’ll be equipped with enough ideas to make sure that you and your gift will be the only thing on his mind this year.

Practical presents can have their place, but a pair of socks or pack of screwdrivers is unlikely to pack a punch. Similarly the Bridget Jones DVD boxset and a fab mulberry handbag [that happens to be on special offer] is unlikely to be his cup of tea either, so where to begin?

When it comes to birthday presents it’s a good idea to avoid buying something that you may give at another time of year. Try to make it memorable and try to make it special so stay away from clichés. Give him something that will appeal to his interests, personality, likes, dislikes, hobbies and passions. Think about some recent conversations with him. He may have even tried to drop some hints? But then again being a man …maybe not.

You give yourself the best chance of getting a great gift by using your time wisely and having a range of options. One way you can do this is to take a peak at websites that list fun and interesting gifts for men and have a range of ideas all under one roof.

Thankdarling.com offers a wide range of gifts just for him and by shopping online you can avoid trawling through the men’s departments, leaving you more time to buy things for yourself! By using a website you can do everything from the comfort of your own home by searching and buying the present online. You can do this by category or by ‘gift experiences’. If you already know what you want to buy, you can do this by occasion or simply by selecting ‘for him’.

Remember you are looking to buy a gift for him, so try and avoid getting distracted by all the girls gifts for now. A day out at a beauty spa or make over experience may sound great to you – but its unlikely to be his cup of tea.

Think about what would suit his personality best. Is he artistic, adventurous, an F1 fan, into planes or gadget mad? Once you have this sorted out you can choose from a variety of unique gift experiences for your significant other.

Here are 5 popular favourites that can make a great birthday gift for him:

For big boys toys you can’t them much bigger than this – treat him to his very own tank driving experience. He’ll be in the driving seat of a MBT 55 ton tank, an Abbot SPG, an Armoured Personnel Carrier and Quad Bikes on this power-packed tank driving experience. Like a kid in a candy store he can experience all the fun things about being in the army without the danger. What more could any man want? You get a full safety briefing and tuition. Then experience driving these vehicles in the company of friendly and qualified ex-army instructors – as you can imagine they also have some interesting stories to tell too.

Or is he a speed freak and F1 mad? Then you may want to treat to him to his very own supercar experience. Whether he’s a fan of Porsche, Ferrari, Aston Martin or Lamborghini there’s a fantastic supercar experience to suit. You can book an individual car if he has his favourite, or chose a ‘supercar medley’ where he gets to drive a range of hi-end cars.

A typical programme includes tea/ coffee on arrival and a welcome registration followed by a safety and technique briefing. Then there will be a familiarisation of the track followed by the actual drive typically followed by a white-knuckle high-speed passenger ride in a performance vehicle. This is a truly memorable experience for any fan of cars. The only problem you will have after giving him this gift is getting him to stop him telling everyone about it!

If being up in the air is his thing then a 30-minute aerobatic lesson will sweep him off his feet. He can take the controls of a modern light aircraft and will be put through his paces by a highly experienced instructor. Experiencing break neck turns and drops – this experience is not for the faint hearted!

Most men love a good curry and these days most men like to think they can cook a good curry too. Unfortunately this is not always the case! So why not treat him to a one on one ‘Learn to cook a curry experience’. He will be taught the secrets of Indian cookery and guided to create a mouth-watering meal for the both of you which you takeaway with you after the experience. So you can give him a present with a difference, enhance his culinary skills and get a meal for two at the same time. Result!

Finally some guys are just gadget mad and never seem to grow up – perhaps this is why some of us girls love them right? Anyway this year how about giving him what your gadget mad beau secretly has pined after for years, his very own remote control big boys toy. They come in all shapes and sizes [a bit like our men] including remote control planes, cars and helicopters. You can watch him drift into a state of childlike ecstasy as he takes the controls and doesn’t let go.

With gifts such as these you have no excuses not to sweep him off his feet this year!

About four weeks ago, my mother asked me to represent the family at the funeral of a distant relative. I buried my resentment of my sister whose task this usually was and arrived at the funeral in good time.

On my arrival, I was given a leaflet and ushered to a seat. This was cool because I had enough time to read about the life and times of the lady and familiarize myself with the words of the hymns that would be sung.

About three weeks ago, I went to a public lecture (name and place withheld to protect the guilty). On my early arrival, I was given a document and ushered to my seat. (Gasp!) This was not cool! The document was a handout of the entire lecture that was about to be presented.

I had enough time to read the document, agree with most of the points, correct the English and decide that I still had enough time if I left at once to make it to the Drive-in and catch the movie. (Yes, we do have a drive-in in my country!)

While I was in the Drive-in, I decided that I was going to prevent you from making that “handout” mistake.

In other areas of people’s lives, giving a handout might not be the best thing, but for a speaker, it’s not a bad thing to do. It’s how you do it that counts. So here are some tips to make your handout worth having.

· Don’t give a copy of your PowerPoint presentation. I hate when I pay large portions of my hard-earned money for a seminar/workshop and I receive this fancy bag with copies of the PowerPoint presentation inside. Further, if the PowerPoint slides were done well, they could not think of doing this.

· Don’t give handouts before the presentations unless you plan to sing it and expect the audience to join in. Part of an effective presentation depends on creating suspense to engage the audience. If the audience can read everything you’re going to say, that element is lost.

· A better way to provide a handout is to prepare a summary of the main points of your speech, include some relevant information that you did not cover as well as the contact information for your organization and yourself. In this way your handout becomes a “must have” item, and a valuable one at that.

If you follow these few tips every time you want to give a handout, you will be happy to know that your audience will listen to your presentation, lineup for your handout and give you an opportunity to engage them further.

When it comes to writing and delivering a speech, many individuals become increasingly intimidated. This feeling of dread is only worsened if the presentation hosts higher ranking company officials that can potential make or break your career.

Instead of writing a dull, dry, and boring speech, challenge yourself to think outside the box! Read your speech out loud to in front of the mirror. If you’re falling asleep, so will your audience. If your own words aren’t provocative or interesting enough, consider using some well placed quotes to provide more interest and drive your point across.

Quotes are an excellent way to break the ice at the beginning of a speech or to emphasize a point or thought well into your spiel. Remember, when using quotes you should be sure to credit the source. For example, “Gandhi famously remarked” or “As Mark Twain once said” are excellent introductions into the body of the quote itself. If someone important said it, it must be valuable!

If you are at a loss for the perfect quote to include in your speech, look to popular quote books that house a plethora of famous phrases. Michael Ruge’s Quote-A-Quote book immediately comes to mind, as it’s packed with quotes appropriate for all types of business ventures. Or for something a little more formal, try the famous Bartlett’s Book of Familiar Quotations.

Consider using quotes in your presentation materials as well. Having words displayed in a presentation or on a screen will allow the audience to further understand their impact. Use particular quotes on presentation covers or the first slide of your presentation to provide the audience with a starting point for your speech.

Using quotes is an excellent way to make your speech more interesting while also making yourself look well read or well cultured. It’s a win-win.

Remember, limit the number of quotes you use in order to provide the most emphasis on key phrases and include quotes that are appropriate for the context of your speech. Sorry, you’ll have to do some writing yourself!

Many people automatically think that KISS is a common mnemonic (acronym) for Keep It Simple Stupid. But not so in this article.. Consider the following mnemonic the next time you deliver a health presentation.

K- Keep them awake and alive

How many health presentations you know have been killed in the first five minutes. Although the presentation may be about prevention, recovery or medical intervention? The eyes of the audience get blurry and less and less of the important health message is absorbed.
You can keep your audience alive by including more transitions in your presentation. For example, the same droning PowerPoint presentation can lull your audience into a deep coma. So try something different.

STOP THE SHOW

Make transitions from your slides to a story, discussion or question before returning to the slide show. For example, if you have 100 slides stop the show and inject something else about every 6-10 minutes.
SUPER POWER NOTE: Use the B key to blackout the screen if the slide show is done in a lighted room. And use the W key to whiteout the screen if done in a dark room. When you want to resume the show just press the key again.

I-Involve the audience

Use interactive techniques like questions, or improv role-plays, dance, songs, plus more.

For example, a workshop on TB. HIV, Hepatitis for a community teen group can make an impact when a they are asked to do a role play illustrating someone who is gossiping about someone they know with the disease. If using the participants from the audience it could yield lots of discussion. Do not forget about the simple power behind a good discussion for retaining information.

S-Share a story

A dramatic skit prepared by the participants (If a long program) can bring the message home and talked about for months. Or you could tell a case study in a story format.

S-Show props and pictures

Suppose you showed a picture of e-coli on a poster board. Or show an unwashed hand with bacteria using a special light. The possibilities are unlimited. Just remember, ,if you want them to know then you must show.

Consider these suggestions before your next date with a group that is waiting for your unique and powerful health message.

All Rights Reserved, Rosemary Horner, 2006

This article may be reprinted. Just keep the links. Thanks!
Permission granted to use this article if all credit and website link is maintained.

When its time to give your next sales presentation, here are my favorite tips for delivering powerful, charismatic, and engaging sales presentations.

#1 – PLANT YOUR FEET SQUARELY ON THE FLOOR

How you hold your physical body during your sales pitch communicates a tremendous amount of information about you to your audience. Studies have shown a person will unconsciously interpret approximately 55% of the meaning of your message from physiological cues in your body position, stance, and facial expressions.

Deliver your presentation from a position of confidence. Stand with your feet squarely between your shoulders. Distribute your weight evenly between your legs, and plant your feet firmly on the ground. Keep your arms relaxed at your sides, until your are ready to make a gesture.

Shifting your weight from one leg to another communicates to the audience a lack of confidence. This comes across unconsciously in that if you were to ask someone, a typical response might be “he didn’t seem like believed in his company” or “I not sure that I can trust her”.

Try both the balanced and the unbalanced speaking postures right now, and see which one makes you feel more confident and ready for your next sales presentation.

#2 – GET PUMPED UP

It is your job to lead the audience. The reason they are there to get something from you. So you must lead them where you want them to go. If you want people to get excited about your product or to feel a sense of trust towards you and your company, you must first create this emotion within yourself.

How do you do this? Simple. Do whatever it takes to get yourself excited. Jump up and down. Clap your hands. Play your favorite music loud. High five your sales partner. You can do this where you won’t be seen by the prospect (in your car, in the customer’s stairwell, bathroom or outside the building). What do you think a rock star or an actor does to warm-up before going on stage?

The idea is to begin your presentation in an absolutely great state. Do this right and the audience will follow your where you want them to go.

Special tip: Use this technique before making important phone calls so that you are “on” when you make the call.

#3 – WARM-UP THE AUDIENCE

Another thing big rock stars do before coming out on stage is they have warm-up acts. The job of a warm-up act is to get the audience in a mood will be receptive of the main act’s energy.

You can accomplish this same effect by simply playing music before you start your presentation. Many laptops have CD players these days, or you can use a boom-box. The type of music you play will depend on your audience, and the emotional state that you want to warm your audience up to. Just think about how this will set you apart from your competition’s stale PowerPoint slide show.

#4 – BEGIN WITH AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

The more rapport you have with an individual or a group, the more receptive they will be to your message. One way to build rapport with your audience is by asking questions of your audience during your first few minutes on stage.

Ask a question or two that most people can easily answer (but don’t put anyone on the spot too much). Questions such as “How far did you come to get here?” and “How long have you been working in this field?” easily get conversation going and begin creating a relationship between you and your audience.

#5 – SUSTAIN EYE CONTACT WITH INDIVIDUALS

You probably know you should do this. Now here’s why and how.

The more frequently you change the location of your focus, the more new information your brain is taking in. Your eyes are the visual sensory input system for your brain. Change focus fast enough and frequently enough, and you overload your brain to the point where you forget where you are at in the presentation. Aaaaggh!

Maintain your concentration on what you want to say next by fixing your visual focus for short periods of time. Do this by completing a thought or a sentence (whichever you find easier) while sustaining eye contact with one person. Move eye contact to a new person with each new thought or sentence.

© 1999-2004 Shamus Brown, All Rights Reserved.

You have probably heard the phrase “practice makes perfect”, well it’s not strictly true.

In fact, what practice makes is habit, so if you practice good techniques then you will indeed approach “perfect”. Practice bad techniques and you get bad habits.

This means that WHAT you practice is as important as HOW you practice. You need to be sure that you recognise and eliminate any bad habits that you may have.

Practicing in front of a mirror is a good tip but with one VERY important caveat – only do this once or twice. This will allow you to make sure you aren’t using any strange postures, gestures or faces. Correct any weird physical gestures and move on and NEVER EVER practice in front of a mirror again.

If you keep practicing in front of a mirror two things will happen: firstly, you will obsess over how you look and move and will end up trying to orchestrate every move of the presentation and turn yourself into a nervous wreck.

As long as you eliminate any obvious flaws, you will develop a more natural style almost unconsciously. If you focus solely on how you look you are heading for trouble, which brings me to the next point.

In every presentation your focus should be on the audience, not yourself. So practice as if you have an audience. Imagine one, talk to a bunch of empty chairs, line up your kids soft toys and talk to them or whatever else works for you as long as it turns your focus out to the audience. Remember, practice makes habit and you need to be in the habit of addressing your audience not your reflection.

If you get the chance, do a trial run on family or friends and ask for brutally honest feedback. It’s better to find out from people who are on your side before presenting to people who may not be so forgiving.

Finally, when you have done all this, practice it again!