Overcoming Fear On Stage: Why Every Speaker Should Try Stand-Up Comedy With John Ball Speaking With Confidence podcast

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Overcoming Fear on Stage: Why Every Speaker Should Try Stand-Up Comedy with John Ball

2d ago 46:21

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Have you ever wondered if charisma is something you’re born with, or if it can be built—and more importantly, how it impacts your confidence and effectiveness as a communicator? In this episode of Speaking with Confidence, I sit down with John Ball, a keynote and presentation coach who’s spent years helping speakers, coaches, and leaders boost their influence from competent to captivating. Today, we dig into the journey of finding your authentic voice as a speaker, the joys and challenges of adding humor to presentations, and the real value of showing up with warmth and confidence, wherever you are in the world.

John Ball brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table—not only as the host of The Present Influence Podcast and co-host of the Coaching Clinic podcast, but also as a professional speaker on topics like personal mastery and leadership communication. His global perspective as someone who’s lived in both the UK and Spain and spent years as a flight attendant puts him in a unique position to discuss connecting with different cultures, and how traveling has shaped his approach to communication and coaching.

In this episode, we cover:

How traveling and working abroad expands your communication skills and comfort zones
Using humor and warmth as universal connectors across cultures
Why every speaker should try stand-up comedy at least once
The difference between charisma and charm—and how to spot “fake” charisma
Techniques to build genuine charisma (even if you’re not naturally extroverted)
The process of testing and refining stories for presentations
Emotional leadership and the responsibility you hold as a speaker
Why presence and vulnerability matter more than perfection
How to avoid charisma killers like overthinking and ego
The importance of living with intention and making positive choices in how you show up
Stage time as the single most effective way to improve your communication
Storytelling tips: focusing on transformation, emotional flow, and audience engagement

If you’re ready to take your communication from competent to captivating—and want to put more humor, warmth, and charisma into every conversation that counts—this episode is packed with stories, strategies, and encouragement to get you started. Ready to step up, lighten up, and speak with more confidence than ever before? Listen now, and let’s grow together.

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Chapters

1. Meet John Ball And The Mission (00:00:00)

2. Global Travel And Universal Connection (00:02:22)

3. Humor As Warmth, Not Just Jokes (00:04:19)

4. The Open Mic Challenge And Fear (00:06:33)

5. Reframing Pain And Using Lightness (00:09:44)

6. Charisma Is Learnable (00:13:13)

7. Genuine Charisma Vs Performed Charm (00:17:10)

8. Cult Dynamics And Influence Red Flags (00:19:28)

9. Choosing Identity And Positive Challenge (00:21:06)

10. Cause Vs Effect And Service Mindset (00:24:12)

11. Lead Emotional States With Intention (00:27:21)

12. Growth Over Comfort And Visible Iteration (00:30:20)

13. Solo Speaking Without A Live Audience (00:33:04)

14. Crafting Stories With Purpose (00:35:23)

15. Emotion Without Manipulation (00:38:16)

16. Levity, Contrast, And Audience Care (00:41:03)

17. One Action: Get Stage Time (00:43:27)

18. Connect With John And Closing CTA (00:45:18)

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