I Had a Panic Attack in a Meeting: How I Overcame My Fear of Public Speaking
How I went from crippling anxiety to being able to deliver sales presentations with confidence
Last week, I had my first in-person meeting in Austin since 2020.
It was wonderful to meet with the other sales reps, some of whom I’ve only seen on video calls.
I was asked to give a presentation to 50 other salespeople about what my direct team is working on. I was so excited to present and showcase the exciting projects we are working on with clients.
It caused me to pause and reflect — if you asked me five years ago to give a presentation to 50 people I’d be tossing and turning the night before. My palms used to sweat and my heart would race.
Fast-forward, public speaking is now second nature to me.
Ever since my senior year of high school, I struggled with anxiety on and off.
I didn’t know what anxiety even was until two months before my 18th birthday. My grandfather fell ill and passed very suddenly, a few weeks later in the hospital.
While he was sick, I remember vividly waking up in the middle of the night shaking, sweating, and short of breath.