What My Fear of Public Speaking Taught Me About Growth

What My Fear of Public Speaking Taught Me About Growth

July 16, 2026 · 23 min · Episode 189

About this episode

Polly Lavarello shares her experience of overcoming a fear of public speaking and the personal growth that came from it.

In this episode, I’m sharing the very honest story of doing my first public speaking event in ten years. Despite running a successful personal brand and talking for a living, standing in front of a room still made me physically shake. I’ll explain where that fear came from, why I kept avoiding it, and what finally helped me step forward. I’m also exploring the stories we tell ourselves to stay safe in business. Sometimes the next level is hiding behind the thing we keep putting off. Mine was public speaking, complete with train delays, questionable outfit choices and a deeply inconvenient childhood memory. Highlights: (04:12) - Realising my protective ‘no year’ had stopped serving me (06:18) - The childhood public speaking disaster I never fully forgot (09:25) - Why confidence on a podcast does not mean confidence everywhere (12:10) - Arriving late, underprepared and very tempted to run away (16:02) - The mindset shift that helped me see the room differently (17:32) - The moment I admitted I was scared and the fear disappeared To find out more: Website Instagram (FREE) THE CUSHY WORK WEEK PLAYBOOK This podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio

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