Flop to Top: A Psychologist’s Guide to Bouncing Back After a Presentation Goes Wrong

Every public figure knows that, even after years of practicing speeches and handling their nerves during big presentations, you can still do something wrong that would eventually cause tons of negative feedback from those being in presence. Success doesn’t come without big mistakes, yet it’s still hard to accept the fact that you might have failed something really important.

Luckily, there are several ways to cheer yourself up when something like this happens, and those methods might even boost your energy to go on and strive for something bigger no matter what.

Don’t Let Your First Reaction Become Obvious

When a failed performance or presentation comes to its end, the first thing you want to do after seeing the public’s reaction is likely to say something aggressive or rather find an excuse for why it went wrong.

Remember that these are the things weak people allow themselves to do. It’s recommended you wait up to several hours — or the whole night — to form your own opinion about what happened.

Separate Criticism From Insults

Not every negative opinion about your performance can be called constructive criticism; oftentimes, it’s just someone’s subjective point that doesn’t have much sense. In cases like this, you should ignore insults and keep going on even if those people aren’t happy about it.

Use Criticism For Your Own Good

When it comes to healthy constructive criticism, it can often be considered as a unique opportunity to look at yourself with someone else’s eyes and use it for your own advantage. Listen to what people you trust say about your performance and keep it in mind to make things better next time.

Also, remember that, no matter how well you are prepared, it’s almost impossible to make it all perfect and with no mistakes during the first several times; perfection comes with practice and experience.

Don’t Torture Yourself Too Much

For many people it’s hard to accept harsh criticism even after years spent on stage, since negative opinions often have a huge impact on our self-esteem. Don’t let yourself focus on criticism too much, instead use it for improving your skills (like already described above).

Remember that any failure can eventually become the biggest incentive for your growth as a professional, and every new performance will give you a new chance to be proud of who you are and what you’ve achieved so far.

Stay in Touch with People Who Support You

At a difficult time when it feels like everyone hates you because of your failed performance, it’s important to keep in mind that there are tens of people who never even felt this way. Family and friends, as well as your fans will surely stay by your side even after a million failed performances, reassuring you that your value hasn’t become smaller because of that.

Also, consider discussing the issue with your colleagues who understand all the specifics of performances like this.