Did you know the most confident person in the room might have once been the most anxious? I learned this the hard wayโand it changed everything.
(Quick shoutout to Startrs for helping me transform nerves into meaningful conversations and connections! ๐)
Early in my career, the idea of “working the room” made my palms sweat.
But here’s what changed everythingโI discovered techniques that transformed my anxiety into confidence.
Here’s how I overcame my networking anxiety:
๐น ๐๐บ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐:ย Acknowledge that it’s okay to feel nervous. Accepting this took the pressure off and made me more authentic.
๐น ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฃ๐๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ: I started researching attendees and topics before events. Having a few conversation starters ready (thanks to Startrs!) made initiating chats less intimidating.
๐น ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฆ๐บ๐ฎ๐น๐น: Instead of diving into large groups, I’d aim to connect with just 2-3 people. I’d approach someone standing alone. Chances are, they appreciated the gesture. Quality over quantity!
๐น ๐จ๐๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ถ๐๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: I’d picture successful interactions beforehand, which helped ease my nerves.
๐น ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด:ย Shifting the focus from myself to genuinely listening to others eased my nerves and made conversations flow naturally.
๐น ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐: Like any skill, the more I practised, the more comfortable I became. Each positive experience built my confidence.
๐ก ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ ๐ง๐ถ๐ฝ: Remember, even the most seasoned networkers started somewhere. Every conversation is a step toward becoming more confident and expanding your horizons.
๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ง๐๐ฟ๐ป: Have you ever felt anxious about networking? What tips have helped you overcome it?
