“Rather be in the casket?”

Published about 2 months ago • 1 min read

“I saw a study that said speaking in front of a crowd is the number one fear of the average person.
Number two was death.
That means if you’re at a funeral, you’d rather be in the casket… than doing the eulogy.”
- Jerry Seinfeld

🎥 Watch the bit (30 sec)
(It’s classic Seinfeld, and honestly, not far from the truth.)

💡 ONE IDEA WELL

The fear is real.
But the stat is misleading.

We’re not afraid of speaking.
We do it every day.

What we fear is being judged while speaking -
Being watched.
Making a mistake.
Being seen… and not enough

Because deep down, public speaking isn’t about slides or microphones.
It’s about exposure.

It taps something ancient.
Standing alone.
All eyes on you.
The tribe gathered.
And you’re the only one not sitting down.

To your brain, it feels like risk.
But it’s also where the connection lives.

That moment -
standing with nothing but your story -
that’s where you lead.

You don’t need to be fearless.
You just need to care more about the message than your comfort.

🧰 LESS MESS, MORE MESSAGE

You don’t need to eliminate the fear.
You just need to reframe it.

Try this:

• Stop aiming to impress. Aim to connect.

• Don’t memorise every line. Get familiar with your message.

• When nerves hit, name them. Then remind yourself: “This means I care.”

And before you speak?
Breathe.
Look up.
Find a face in the room.

Not to perform for -
but to speak to.

🧭 ASK YOURSELF THIS

What matters more—how you sound, or what you mean?

Speak soon,

Andy

📮 PS

PS - If this one resonates, forward it to someone prepping a talk or dreading one. It might help them feel a little less alone.

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