Why Do I Go Blank When Speaking, Even After Practicing? A Public Speaking Coach Answers

You practiced your talk until you knew it cold, then stepped up to speak and your mind went completely blank. Lilach, a public speaking confidence coach, says this is the number one question she gets asked. Here's her answer.

Short answer: Going blank usually isn't a practice problem. It comes from one of two things: your nervous system going into survival mode, or practicing in a way that doesn't prepare your brain for the real moment.

Why do I go blank even though I practiced?

According to Lilach, there are two main reasons the words disappear: a nervous system issue or a cognitive load issue. In both cases, it's not that you didn't practice enough. It's that you can't access what you practiced in that moment.

What happens when nerves make you freeze?

When you go into fight, flight, or freeze, your body shifts into survival mode. That can happen because you dread public speaking, or because something goes wrong mid-talk and you start spiraling. In survival mode, certain parts of the brain go on standby, and they happen to be the parts holding everything you practiced. Lilach says you won't regain access, no matter how much you practiced, until you regulate your nervous system.

What is cognitive load in public speaking?

Cognitive load is everything your brain has to pay attention to while you speak. Lilach compares it to juggling. Most people practice by throwing one ball in the air: the words. But on stage, you're juggling three or four balls at once, like the audience, your slides, your timing, and your nerves.

How should I practice so I don't go blank?

Practice like you're going to perform by adding cognitive load. Lilach suggests rehearsing your words while doing the dishes or driving, or practicing somewhere with distractions instead of a quiet, focused room. If you can deliver your talk with distractions around you, you're probably performance ready.

Does practicing more help?

Only if you practice the right way. Repeating your words in a quiet room builds memory, but it doesn't train you to recall it under pressure. Practicing with distractions, and learning to calm your nervous system, matters more than more repetitions.

Transcript

"As a public speaking coach, the number one question I get asked is, 'Why do I go blank, even though I've practiced my talk or speech?' Now, there are two main reasons why the words can just go poof out of your brain. It's either a nervous system issue or a cognitive load issue. The nervous system issue happens when we go into fight, flight, or freeze, and that can happen because you just hate public speaking, or because something went wrong and now you're spiraling. Regardless, when you go into survival mode, certain parts of our brain go on standby, and they just happen to be the parts that contain all the memory of everything you've practiced. So it's not that you didn't practice enough, it's that you don't have access to it, and you won't have access no matter how much you practiced until you regulate your nervous system. The cognitive load issue is about how you practice. Think about everything your brain needs to pay attention to while you're public speaking as a ball you need to juggle. Most people practice throwing one ball in the air, the words. But when you're performing, you're going to have to juggle three or four balls at least. So what you want to do is practice like you're going to perform. Add cognitive load. Try to practice your words while you're doing the dishes or maybe driving. Try to practice in a place that's not quiet and focused but has some distractions. If you can do that, you're probably performance ready. I'm Lilach. I'm a public speaking confidence coach, and you can find me on ProPass in the App Store."

Watch Lilach answer the question (tap the video to play):