This document discusses fear of public speaking and ways to overcome it. It notes that public speaking is rated as people's number one fear above death. It then provides several causes of the fear of public speaking including lack of childhood interaction, lack of confidence, fear of being laughed at, and speech disorders. Finally, it lists techniques for overcoming public speaking anxiety such as reminding yourself that the audience wants you to succeed, focusing on only a few main points, using relaxation exercises, and accepting that some level of anxiety is normal even for experienced speakers.