How to Gain Confidence for Debating
Be prepared for the debate., Remember that the audience and debate committee are on your side., Build confidence amongst your team., Don't worry about being perfect., Act confident., Don't be afraid to engage the judge.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Be prepared for the debate.
Many debates will give you some time to study and research your topic before the actual debate occurs.
You'll want to spend plenty of time looking into the subject, doing your research and preparing your arguments.
Feeling comfortable with the issue and your arguments can go a long way in keeping you calm during the debate.Don't be afraid to research positions that you might not think fit your argument's direction.
You may miss a line of argument by skipping over apparently irrelevant research material.
Take plenty of notes when doing your research.
Learning more about the topic can help you stay flexible and adapt your arguments during a debate. -
Step 2: Remember that the audience and debate committee are on your side.
Although it may not feel like it, the audience, judge and the committee all want to see you succeed.
Everyone attending has come to see a debate in which all participants are at their best and enjoying themselves.
Worrying about the audience silently judging your every word will only make you feel more nervous.
Instead, focus on how much everyone is rooting for you, to help you relax and do your best.The audience isn't there to watch a disaster.
The arguments are the only thing being judged during a debate. , Some debates will be between teams of debaters.
If you are on such a team, you'll want to work together to encourage one another and build off of each other's arguments.
Knowing that you have a good team to back you up can help you feel less alone and more confident during your debate.Don't criticize your team-mates for mistakes during a debate.
Focus and build off of what your team members did correctly to help your team look strong.
Use what your team-mates have already established during their arguments to build your own discussion points. , Although you will want to try your best during a debate, focusing on perfectionism can actually hurt your performance.
Thinking about saying the right thing at every moment can slow you down and may actually cause you make a mistake.
Avoid worrying about having a perfect debate and allow yourself to relax and do your best.Let mistakes go and redirect your attention towards what you want to say.
Dwelling on a mistake can cause you to become even more nervous.
Staying positive and focusing on your overall direction can help you relax during your debate. , Even if you don't feel confident, you can still act like you do.
It's important to remember that you won't look as nervous as you might be feeling.
The audience or judges won't notice if you're sweating or a bit shaky during your debate.
So even if you aren't feeling confident, you can relax a bit knowing that no one else will notice.Acting confident can sometimes help you to actually feel confident.
Remember that everyone is there to hear your arguments, not judge you on how nervous you may or may not be. , It can be hard to know who to look at or speak to during a debate.
You may not feel entirely comfortable looking up at the audience or the judge.
However, directing your attention to the judge at times can be a great way to make your argument stick out.
Knowing that the judge heard your arguments and is interested in them can help you relax and do your best during a debate.Give the judge a nod once in a while to non-verbally involve them in your argument.
Make plenty of points and give examples for the judge to take note of.
If the judge rejected a point, don't let it make you nervous.
Be agreeable and confident that you can do without it. -
Step 3: Build confidence amongst your team.
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Step 4: Don't worry about being perfect.
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Step 5: Act confident.
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Step 6: Don't be afraid to engage the judge.
Detailed Guide
Many debates will give you some time to study and research your topic before the actual debate occurs.
You'll want to spend plenty of time looking into the subject, doing your research and preparing your arguments.
Feeling comfortable with the issue and your arguments can go a long way in keeping you calm during the debate.Don't be afraid to research positions that you might not think fit your argument's direction.
You may miss a line of argument by skipping over apparently irrelevant research material.
Take plenty of notes when doing your research.
Learning more about the topic can help you stay flexible and adapt your arguments during a debate.
Although it may not feel like it, the audience, judge and the committee all want to see you succeed.
Everyone attending has come to see a debate in which all participants are at their best and enjoying themselves.
Worrying about the audience silently judging your every word will only make you feel more nervous.
Instead, focus on how much everyone is rooting for you, to help you relax and do your best.The audience isn't there to watch a disaster.
The arguments are the only thing being judged during a debate. , Some debates will be between teams of debaters.
If you are on such a team, you'll want to work together to encourage one another and build off of each other's arguments.
Knowing that you have a good team to back you up can help you feel less alone and more confident during your debate.Don't criticize your team-mates for mistakes during a debate.
Focus and build off of what your team members did correctly to help your team look strong.
Use what your team-mates have already established during their arguments to build your own discussion points. , Although you will want to try your best during a debate, focusing on perfectionism can actually hurt your performance.
Thinking about saying the right thing at every moment can slow you down and may actually cause you make a mistake.
Avoid worrying about having a perfect debate and allow yourself to relax and do your best.Let mistakes go and redirect your attention towards what you want to say.
Dwelling on a mistake can cause you to become even more nervous.
Staying positive and focusing on your overall direction can help you relax during your debate. , Even if you don't feel confident, you can still act like you do.
It's important to remember that you won't look as nervous as you might be feeling.
The audience or judges won't notice if you're sweating or a bit shaky during your debate.
So even if you aren't feeling confident, you can relax a bit knowing that no one else will notice.Acting confident can sometimes help you to actually feel confident.
Remember that everyone is there to hear your arguments, not judge you on how nervous you may or may not be. , It can be hard to know who to look at or speak to during a debate.
You may not feel entirely comfortable looking up at the audience or the judge.
However, directing your attention to the judge at times can be a great way to make your argument stick out.
Knowing that the judge heard your arguments and is interested in them can help you relax and do your best during a debate.Give the judge a nod once in a while to non-verbally involve them in your argument.
Make plenty of points and give examples for the judge to take note of.
If the judge rejected a point, don't let it make you nervous.
Be agreeable and confident that you can do without it.
About the Author
John Young
Experienced content creator specializing in practical skills guides and tutorials.
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