Are most entrepreneurs fearless? It may seem like this, especially if you’ve seen videos of these entrepreneurs shining in front of the camera or completely captivating everyone in the audience when they speak on stage. They seem so confident and so poised whenever you watch them.
Online video has become a powerful force in the last few years, which is why most entrepreneurs are starting to incorporate video into their marketing efforts – studies have shown that it can help attract more clients, widen your reach and grow your audience.
But what does one do if you’re shy in front of the camera? What if you feel compelled to use videos to market your big business but the thought of being on-camera terrifies you?
I want you to know that you’re not alone in feeling this way. In fact, many entrepreneurs are holding themselves back with online video marketing because of the fears that they have regarding the camera, with being in the spotlight, and with being seen.
Why it’s so scary
Having an object with a red blinking light pointing at you can be quite nerve wracking, especially if you’re not used to having a camera in front of you. It gives you the feeling that all eyes are on you – any little movement you make will be seen, every word you speak will be recorded, any of your flaws may arise.
This feeling of vulnerability is terrifying. You feel like you’re risking it all and that you’ll be “exposing” yourself. You have this idea that you need to look perfect and proper in front of the camera and the thought of not presenting yourself that way turns into a huge fear that holds you back from getting in front of that camera.
The solution is to shift your mindset
Yes, you’ll feel anxious, nervous, afraid, and stressed out. You’ll feel like it’s not worth making this video because you predict that you’ll look awful and that people will criticize you for your efforts. You’ll feel incompetent because you don’t really know too much about videos and being on-camera in general. So what did you subconsciously do? You’ve already decided that going through with it will result in disaster. You predetermined that you’ve already failed.
These feelings are natural to have – it means that your pal, Fear, has come out to play and loves to see you freak out. Feelings of inadequacy, low self-worth and failure will be sure to pop up. But these feelings don’t have to stay with your forever.
As someone who was painfully shy for most of my life, I’ve had these feelings and they played a big role in preventing me from playing big in my business. They held me back from sharing my story and my message in front of the camera, which is unfortunate, because online video can be such a great tool to bring awareness and attention to the message you’re trying to share with the world.
For the longest time, I saw my shyness as something that held me back and as something that was toxic for my growth. However, I’ve learned that my shyness has actually helped me with my growth in several ways.
Your shyness can help you overcome adversity and push through those obstacles that were once stopping you from playing big. Struggling with shyness has given you the ability to cope with the difficulties life throws at you and your ability to overcome is strengthened.
Whenever you find yourself challenged, especially when it comes to being in front of the camera, try and shift your mindset:
Challenge: People see you as someone quiet and who doesn’t speak up too often.
Mindset shift: While others converse, you’re there listening and observing, which you do really well. You can process your observations and insights into well-thought out messages you can report back to your audience. You may not be as outspoken as others in your field, but you have plenty to share from all the listening and observations you’ve done. Your prospects and clients will see the value in this and and they’ll see you as an expert in your field that they can trust.
Challenge: People may see you as someone who is too meek or timid to be an entrepreneur.
Mindset shift: Because your approach is not seen as too outspoken or aggressive, people will find you more approachable, which is a great strength to have. You can still present yourself as you normally do in front of the camera as long as you remain connected to your audience. (And don’t worry about not having the right “personality” to be on screen – your ideal clients will gravitate towards you and will be drawn to your personality). And if you happen to be calm in front of the camera, your audience will still be engaged with you because you have something of value to share with them.
Challenge: You know you’ll be nervous once the camera is pointing at you and you anticipate getting tongue-tied or making mistakes in front of the camera.
Mindset shift: If you prepare beforehand, you’ll be fine in front of the camera. Do a “dress rehearsal” first so that you can feel the adrenaline rush and learn how to deal with the nerves and bundled-up energy that arises. Once you learn how to deal with these different energies, you won’t feel so overwhelmed and anxious in front of the camera. The preparation you’ve done beforehand will give you the confidence to shine on camera.
You can overcome your shyness by making tweaks like these in your mindset. By seeing the situation in a more positive light, you’ll find yourself gradually pushing through your fears and your comfort zone, which is a requirement when it comes to your own personal growth. Experiencing change is essential if you want to grow, thrive and play BIG in your business.
Bianca Filoteo is the founder of Video For Shy People, where she helps shy and introverted entrepreneurs fall in love with online video. As a shy and introverted person herself, Bianca combines her experiences as an actor, screenwriter, video editor, producer, and filmmaker as she works with her clients and their online video marketing. She collaborates with entrepreneurs to produce videos for their programs/products/websites while also helping them gain confidence to share their stories on camera. Learn more about Bianca and the resources she provides entrepreneurs at http://videoforshypeople.com.
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Please email us separately and you can communicate with Bianca about the content. info@thebigfactor.com
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