What quality reveals shyness most? You probably answered “eye contact,” and you are right. However, many Shys aren’t aware that their voices run a photo-finish second. The volume, speed, and timbre of your voice are measures of your assurance—or lack of it. Confident people have more variety and resonance in their voices. Confident people have fewer uncomfortable pauses.
How you say something deafens people to what you say. When you speak in a hesitant voice, all they hear is, “What I’m saying is not very important.”
When you pause midsentence, they hear, “I don’t have my thoughts together.”
When you hesitate, they hear, “I can’t keep my mind on what you’re saying because I’m too distracted by wondering what you think of me.”
When you speak too fast, they hear, “I’d better race through this sentence before I get distracted thinking about myself again.”
Here’s where your goldfish comes in handy again. Don’t let the fact that it doesn’t have ears dissuade you. You are merely rehearsing a smooth voice. Think of it like practicing a musical instrument. Every time you rehearse, the sound becomes stronger and smoother.