Introverts, this one’s for you
5 Acting-Based Techniques for Introverts to Speak with Confidence
Whether you’re giving a presentation, preparing for an interview, or simply sharing your ideas in a meeting...
Let’s be honest — public speaking isn’t every introvert’s favorite activity. But here’s a secret from the world of theater: even actors get nervous. The trick isn’t to erase the fear. It’s to work with it.
As someone trained in acting, I’ve learned a few techniques that help introverts speak up with confidence.
As someone trained in acting, I’ve learned a few techniques that help introverts speak up with confidence.
Public speaking doesn’t have to feel like a performance. For introverts, it can become a quiet act of leadership. A way to share ideas, connect with others, and grow your career.
These tools don’t turn you into someone else. They help you show up as yourself, with a bit more clarity, calm, and connection.
1. Believe in what you say. Or find a reason to.
If you're not the one who chose the topic, you can still choose your perspective on it. In acting, we often have to play “unlikable” characters. Our job is to find what shaped them. Their pain, fears, motivation, and bring truth to the role. Same thing with speaking. If you want to resonate with people, first you need to resonate with the message yourself.
Speaking with confidence starts when you genuinely care about the idea you're sharing.
2. Don’t speak to impress. Speak to serve.
Theater has this phrase: don’t fall in love with yourself on stage — fall in love with the art inside you. It applies to public speaking too. You’re not there to prove anything. You're there to offer something: a story, a solution, a fresh way of thinking.
Think of your talk as a small service, a gift. That mindset takes the pressure off and replaces performance anxiety with purpose.
If you're not the one who chose the topic, you can still choose your perspective on it. In acting, we often have to play “unlikable” characters. Our job is to find what shaped them. Their pain, fears, motivation, and bring truth to the role. Same thing with speaking. If you want to resonate with people, first you need to resonate with the message yourself.
Speaking with confidence starts when you genuinely care about the idea you're sharing.
2. Don’t speak to impress. Speak to serve.
Theater has this phrase: don’t fall in love with yourself on stage — fall in love with the art inside you. It applies to public speaking too. You’re not there to prove anything. You're there to offer something: a story, a solution, a fresh way of thinking.
Think of your talk as a small service, a gift. That mindset takes the pressure off and replaces performance anxiety with purpose.
3. Focus on the ones who want to hear you
There’s always someone in the room who’s not into it. Maybe they’re having a bad day. Maybe they just don’t like presentations. But there’s also always someone who’s nodding, smiling, leaning in. Talk to them. Focus on the people who came because they want to learn, grow, or be inspired. That’s who you’re there for.
This simple shift builds connection and makes it easier to speak up without second-guessing every word.
4. You don’t have to look them in the eyes
Seriously! You don’t. A classic acting trick: look right above people’s heads. To them, it still feels like eye contact, but for you, it takes off the pressure.
If eye contact makes you freeze up or feel awkward, this technique lets you stay present without losing your nerve.
There’s always someone in the room who’s not into it. Maybe they’re having a bad day. Maybe they just don’t like presentations. But there’s also always someone who’s nodding, smiling, leaning in. Talk to them. Focus on the people who came because they want to learn, grow, or be inspired. That’s who you’re there for.
This simple shift builds connection and makes it easier to speak up without second-guessing every word.
4. You don’t have to look them in the eyes
Seriously! You don’t. A classic acting trick: look right above people’s heads. To them, it still feels like eye contact, but for you, it takes off the pressure.
If eye contact makes you freeze up or feel awkward, this technique lets you stay present without losing your nerve.
5. Make friends with silence
Introverts often worry about long pauses, but in theater, silence can be more powerful than words. It builds tension, shows presence, and gives the audience a moment to reflect.
Instead of filling space with “um” or “so yeah,” try this: finish your thought, close your mouth, and let the idea land. That quiet beat is where meaning sinks in.
Bonus: Don’t memorize. Understand.
When actors learn scripts, we don’t just memorize lines. We understand the why behind them. Every sentence leads somewhere. Every word earns its place.
Your talk should feel the same. Instead of drilling it like a school recital, think of it as telling a meaningful story. Each section flows into the next for a reason.
When you know the “why,” you won’t get stuck on the “what.”
With a few tools from the world of theater and acting, even the most soft-spoken among us can speak up, and be heard.
Introverts often worry about long pauses, but in theater, silence can be more powerful than words. It builds tension, shows presence, and gives the audience a moment to reflect.
Instead of filling space with “um” or “so yeah,” try this: finish your thought, close your mouth, and let the idea land. That quiet beat is where meaning sinks in.
Pauses show confidence. They also make you more memorable.
Bonus: Don’t memorize. Understand.
When actors learn scripts, we don’t just memorize lines. We understand the why behind them. Every sentence leads somewhere. Every word earns its place.
Your talk should feel the same. Instead of drilling it like a school recital, think of it as telling a meaningful story. Each section flows into the next for a reason.
When you know the “why,” you won’t get stuck on the “what.”
With a few tools from the world of theater and acting, even the most soft-spoken among us can speak up, and be heard.
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