Perfectionism-Driven Fears

In her public speaking lecture, Joanne Whitlock offers advice on how to overcome fears surrounding language to an audience whose first language is not English. The teacher shares her personal experience with learning to speak Spanish and the worries that came with attempting to speak in in Spain. She explains that these sorts of concerns around public speaking or talking in a new language are often not about knowledge, but a desire to be perfect or do something well and the pressure one might put on themselves.

Whitlock's public speaking lecture encourages people to be self-aware and recognize the true root of their fears. Her tips can be extrapolated and applied to any situation where a person is held back due to their fear of not being good at something. Being cognizant of the quirks that result from these worries, such as clutch words or physical habits, is the first step.