8 Second Ride: Dealing with Public Speaking

Eight seconds is like an eternity to any bull rider; especially when it can make or break their career. Within those 8 seconds, a fearless bull rider has only one choice: to ride the storm. Before a rider mounts their beast, they say their prayers. It is in God’s hands to bless them with a successful 8-second ride and minimal injuries. Although, when it comes to public speaking, it’s in your own hands to ride the storm.

The fear of public speaking, or glossophobia, is America’s number one phobia. Many individuals experience nervous habits when speaking in front of a group, and others may face extreme panic. No matter what your level of fear is, everyone experiences the same symptoms.

Picture yourself standing in front of a group of people. Your blood pressure is rising, sweat builds up on your forehead, and your mouth goes dry. In response, you start to move your foot up and down and play with the paper sitting in front of you. Thoughts flood your brain to distract you from your speech, creating a pinching feeling in your chest. As I write this, I can feel the emotions build up inside me. No matter how many speeches I present, I still face these symptoms. However, I’ve learned how to control my fear and that’s the story I want to share with you today.

My public speaking journey began in high school when I became involved in the Winneconne FFA Chapter and Forensics team. In Forensics, I dearly dreaded practicing my O.I.L, Oratory, and Farrago pieces with my coaches. Why? It was because I wasn’t confident in my own abilities. When I stood in front of them, all I could think about was my negative attributes. I would constantly tell myself “I said that line wrong” and “I should have put more emotion into that line” instead of focusing on the words that I spoke and the emotions flooding from the text. Focusing on your faults while you're presenting distracts your from what you’re saying. Finding my confidence showed me the importance of changing “I said that line wrong” to “Nailed that line” so that I could understand each individual word and embrace each 3-second silence that brought the emotion of the text to life.

After learning the confidence to embrace every word of the speech, I took my newfound skills to participate in the FFA Prepared Speaking leadership development event (LDE), formally known as a speaking contest. I competed in this for three years, qualifying for state my last two years. Each time I presented, I walked into a room with three judges and one time keeper to give a speech that was already 1-minute over my 8-minute time limit. So, I took a deep breath while counting to 6. I then held the breath for 6 seconds, followed by releasing it while counting to 6.

Finally, I told myself that I will still walk out this door alive no matter what happens. I’m in control of my own words. Each word I say is a part of the story I want to tell, a story that I’m proud to share.

I then entered the room with a big smile, shook the judge's hands and introduced myself. “Hello, my name is Jodie Weyland, and I’m from the Winneconne FFA Chapter. Today I’m here to present my speech titled Organic Agriculture.” That’s right, it was on organic agriculture. I grew up directly involved in the organic industry and it’s the story I strive to share.

If you’re speaking with others about something you have a deep-rooted passion and love for, it won't be a speech. It will be a conversation. While learning to embrace word you speak is important, it’s not as important as speaking about something you love and embrace.

A bull rider embraces every moment and every word he says because his 8-second ride is unpredictable. But why would he still get on that bull if he can’t fully control the outcome, but only ask for God’s help? Bull riding is his life, his passion, and something he loves.

Embrace your every word and share your passions, just like the bull rider.

If you deal with a fear of public speaking, as I did, I challenge you to remember one thing. During your 8-second ride and fight against your thousand-pound beast, you’re in control. Mason Lowe, 25-year-old professional bull rider was taken into God’s hands in January 2019. During his 8-second ride in Denver, his bull named Hard Times struck his chest as Mason was pulled under the bull.

When you face Hard Times be in control. It’s your choice to be badder, be braver, be bolder and be cowboy… just like Mason Lowe did when he approached his time with Hard Times.

The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) recently stopped in Green Bay, Wisconsin for the Unleash the Beast tour.

Cannon Cravens, 19 years old, is one of the many men embracing their dream and passion.

Here's a link to Cannon's statistics: https://www.pbr.com/rider/3810532/cravens-cannon