
Antifragility and how it is related to public speaking in English
A few years ago I wrote an article, which became a collection of techniques for my more ambitious students, on the subject of Antifragility in public speaking. The goal was to make speakers totally and completely immune to crowd fear, which is a goal that is very difficult to achieve in other ways. But lately I've been working on English speech courses for foreign language speakers, and I discovered that these tools give even greater value to those who are afraid to speak in English.
So I will first start with a brief explanation of the philosophy of antifragility, and then we will see what practical tools can be derived from it for those who want to speak with more and more confidence in English in front of an audience.


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So the idea starts with the Lebanese philosopher and economist Nicholas Nassim Taleb. In his book Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder, Taleb describes four levels of resilience in the face of stressors and shocks:
- fragile
Fragile things are easily broken or damaged by stressors. They become worse when exposed to volatility, randomness or disorder. Examples of fragile things include delicate sculptures, delicate clothing such as wedding dresses and tuxedos, and sensitive ecosystems. Perfectionist speakers also fall into this category. - robust
"Durable things are able to withstand stressful situations without significant damage. They remain the same when exposed to volatility, randomness or disorder. Examples of durable things include well-built houses, durable clothing such as mud boots and wellies, and diverse and adaptable ecosystems. Even boring and indifferent speakers are durable speakers. - anti-fragile
Anti-fragile things are not only resistant to stressors but actually benefit from them. They become stronger and more resilient when exposed to volatility, randomness or disorder. For example jeans are anti-fragile because they look better worn than new. Examples of antifragiles include muscles that strengthen with exercise, immune systems that strengthen with exposure to pathogens, and economies that thrive in the face of competition. Anti-brittle speakers are those who look for mistakes to learn from.
Taleb argues that antifragility is a desirable feature for both people and systems. By exposing ourselves to controlled stressors, we can become more flexible and adaptable. Similarly, designing antifragile systems can make them more robust in the face of uncertainty and change.
Anti-fragility in speech, especially in English
An anti-fragility speaker is not a speaker who is perfect (although the best of them seem that way), but a speaker whose mistakes become smaller and smaller until they are almost invisible. The reason they get smaller is that he looks for opportunities to fail 'small' to ensure he doesn't fail 'big'. He still makes mistakes in English or presentation, but he only makes each one once because he is committed to research and learning
In the public speaking course in English there is a special chapter that I deal with in antifragility in English. That is, how to build for yourself an identity (and image) of someone who strives to improve, and how to make the improvement in a practical way. In fact we will learn how to allow yourself to make mistakes and allow others to correct you so that your every speech and conversation becomes an opportunity for improvement.
The episode is available for free viewing even for those who have not registered for the course. This is an advanced chapter in the course, but it gives an idea of the achievements that can be reached with its help.
If you are interested in these achievements, register for the course as soon as possible!