“What if they hate me?”

It’s common to fear that the audience won’t like you when you’re presenting.

Let’s try a quick exercise. Remember the last time you were in the audience—maybe a lecture, workshop, or a show. If not, think about the last video, movie, or podcast you watched. Picture that moment. Were you hoping for a good time, like learning something new or being entertained? Or were you hoping it to be awful, with nothing to gain?

As humans, we value our time too much, so when we invest it, we hope for something worthwhile. Nobody wants to listen to a bad, boring presentation. And this is great news as it means that the audience isn’t wishing for your failure; they want to enjoy your talk and are rooting for your success. The better you perform, the more it benefits them as well.

But here’s the thing—there’ll always be someone who will not like your presentation. No matter what you do and say, there’s bound to be someone who just doesn’t click with you—maybe they don’t like your style, your voice, or just you as a person. It happens, and that’s okay. Some people will always find fault, so it’s not worth worrying about them. Instead, focus on those who genuinely seek value from your lecture. Prepare well, be authentic, and give it your best shot. The audience (or at least most of it) is on your side!