Most folks speed up when they are nervous or when that excited adrenaline is pumping. Plan for it and consciously open your speech or conversation at a slow pace. This will set the tone for the rest of your talk.

If your intention is to just “get this over with” you will speak much faster then you should. Even if it’s a necessary evil for you and something you really dread, do everything you can to try to change your intention to giving value and being of service

Don’t confuse energy and enthusiasm with speed. Many folks unconsciously speed up when they try to show passion, urgency, or to increase their energy output

Many speakers worry that they don’t want to take up too much of an audiences time so they go too fast to not wear out their welcome. The greatest gift you can give others is your time and full attention to their needs. Focus on that

Rapid fire speech is like hitting your audience with a drive by shooting. They basically want to duck and cover. Don’t speak AT them, have a conversation WITH them

Give your audience time to digest each of your points before you move on to the next

….,,,,,, Periods and commas are there for a reason be cautious not to blow through them, they will help you slow down

Limit your caffeine intake – a little might wake you up and get you sharp but watch out for that tipping point that revs up your pacing

Record your rehearsal so that you can see and hear yourself ahead of time. When you “know thyself” as Socrates said -you will TRUST yourself