How I Overcame My Fear of Public Speaking | Danish Dhamani | TEDxKids@SMU

Summary

Donna SH shares her journey from experiencing the fear of public speaking as a child in Tanzania to overcoming it through various methods. She discovered public speaking is a skill that can be learned, not just an innate talent. Inspired by the idea of personal AI assistants, she and her roommate created 'Aural AI,' a mobile app that uses artificial intelligence to provide personalized speech coaching, practice, and instant feedback. Donna's story encourages others to face their fears, seek solutions, and use technology to improve themselves.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Donna's fear of public speaking began on her first day of school in Tanzania, where she was unable to introduce herself in front of the class.
• 🌟 Despite overcoming other childhood fears, her fear of public speaking persisted into college in America.
• 🔍 Donna sought solutions on Google and discovered public speaking is a skill that can be learned, not just a talent you're born with.
• 🗣️ She experimented with various methods to improve her public speaking, including online courses and Toastmasters, but found them not entirely satisfactory.
• 🤖 Inspired by AI assistants like Siri and Alexa, Donna envisioned a personal, on-demand speech coach using artificial intelligence.
• 💡 She co-founded Aural AI, a mobile app that counts 'ums' and 'uhs,' provides personalized lessons, and offers instant feedback to help users improve their public speaking.
• 🛠️ Despite lacking expertise in speech coaching or data science, Donna and her roommate leveraged internet resources to build Aural AI.
• 📈 The app uses computational linguistics and machine learning to analyze speech and provide constructive feedback.
• 🚀 Donna's story encourages facing fears and creating solutions, emphasizing that improvement in public speaking is an ongoing journey with no finish line.
• 🎙️ Aural AI is a testament to the power of technology in personal development, aiming to help anyone become a better speaker.

Q & A

What was Donna's initial reaction when she was asked to introduce herself in front of the class?

Donna felt extremely nervous and embarrassed, which led to her crying in front of the class due to the fear of public speaking.

How did Donna's fear of public speaking affect her throughout her life?

The fear of public speaking became a part of her soul and persisted even into her college years in America, despite her overcoming other childhood fears.

What was the first step Donna took to overcome her fear of public speaking?

Donna searched on Google for ways to overcome the fear of public speaking, which led her to discover various techniques and the idea that public speaking is a teachable skill.

What solutions did Donna find during her online research for overcoming her fear?

Donna found solutions such as hiring a speech coach, practicing in front of a mirror, taking online courses, and attending public speaking clubs like Toastmasters.

Which solution did Donna find to be the most effective for her?

Donna found attending Toastmasters club to be the most effective, as it allowed her to practice in front of others and receive feedback on her performance.

What was the realization Donna had about public speaking that changed her perspective?

Donna realized that public speaking is not something one is born with but a skill that can be learned and improved upon.

What idea inspired Donna to create a mobile app?

Donna was inspired to create a mobile app that could act as a personal, on-demand speech coach using artificial intelligence to provide instant feedback and personalized lessons.

What challenges did Donna and her roommate face when they started building the app?

They faced challenges such as lack of expertise in speech coaching, public speaking, and data science, but they overcame these by learning from research papers and consulting with speech coaches.

How does the app Donna helped create assist users in improving their public speaking skills?

The app counts arm movements, provides personalized lessons, allows for quiet practice in privacy, and offers instant feedback using artificial intelligence.

What message does Donna want to convey to others through her story?

Donna encourages others to face their fears, seek solutions, and create them if they don't exist. She emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement and self-empowerment.

How does Donna's app provide feedback on speech?

The app provides feedback on aspects such as filler words, pace, energy levels, and overall speech quality, and allows users to playback their audio for self-assessment.