Speak with Confidence

Confident speakers aren't born that way. They use a handful of habits anyone can learn. Whether you're presenting to a room, speaking up in a meeting, or answering an interview question, these five techniques can help.

Written by Juan Don Ringo

Professional Actor

Born and raised in Spain, Juan discovered acting as a teenager in a local community theater company. What began as an after-school activity quickly became a calling. He went on to train in stage performance, voice, and improvisation, building the technical foundation that still shapes his work today. His television career took off in his late twenties, when a breakout supporting role in a popular telenovela introduced him to a wide audience. Casting directors noticed his ability to bring depth to romantic leads, conflicted antagonists, and everything in between. Over the following years, he built a steady career in primetime dramas, earning a reputation as a dependable, generous scene partner who elevates everyone around him. Behind the scenes, Juan has spent more than twenty years navigating the audition process: the early-morning call times, the cold readings, the callbacks, and the rejections that come with them. Those experiences taught him that success in the room rarely comes from perfection. It comes from preparation, presence, and the ability to stay curious under pressure. Now in his early forties, Juan has turned that hard-won knowledge into coaching and speaking. He helps professionals use actor techniques such as breath control, active listening, intention, and improvisation to communicate with confidence in interviews, presentations, and everyday conversations. When he isn't on set or leading a workshop, Juan enjoys cooking for friends, reading plays, and exploring new cities on foot. His guiding belief is simple: confidence is a skill, and anyone can learn it.

Published by Hestia Talks

Start with your breath. Nerves make breathing shallow, which makes your voice thin and shaky. Before you speak, take a slow breath in and a longer breath out. It steadies your body and gives your voice more power.

Slow down. Most people speed up when they're anxious. Deliberately slowing your pace makes you sound composed and gives listeners time to absorb your message. Pauses feel long to you but sound confident to everyone else.

Know your key point. Confidence comes from clarity. Before you speak, decide on the one idea you want people to remember. Then build everything else around it, instead of trying to memorize a script.

Own your posture and eye contact. Stand or sit tall, relax your shoulders, and look at one person at a time. Steady eye contact builds connection and makes you feel less like you're performing for a crowd.

Cut the filler and the apologies. Phrases like "I just think" or "Sorry, this might be a silly question" undercut your message. Replace them with a pause, then state your point directly.

Practice out loud. Thinking through what you'll say isn't the same as saying it. Rehearse aloud, even if it's just to a mirror or a voice memo, until the words feel natural.

Confidence isn't the absence of nerves. It's speaking clearly and deliberately while you feel them. Try one of these techniques in your next conversation, and build from there.

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