You've been asked to speak in front of an audience. Your deck is prepared. You've rehearsed. It's the day before your presentation and you still hate the idea of going up on that stage. What do you do?

Here are five tips I use with my clients to help win on stage:

Get rest and stay hydrated. Being tired and dehydrated affects the mind and body. You need all your reserves so you can concentrate and nail your presentation.
Wear something you feel confident in. It seems simple, but you need to know you look good. The mind plays tricks on you when you’re nervous or feeling vulnerable, and knowing you look good lets you focus on presenting well.
Smile. Smile while you practice. Smile before you go on. Force yourself to smile during your presentation. Your mind likes to follow what your body does. So smiling helps you look and sound friendlier. And tricks your brain into thinking you’re having a good time.
Breathe. Remember to breathe and give yourself a fighting chance. A deep breath here and there gives you the oxygen you need to stay mentally alert. So smile. And breathe.
Nail the opening. Then, regardless of how you do in the middle, nail the ending. Your audience will love you for both.

I remind all my clients that the people in the audience generally WANT YOU TO DO WELL. Think about this for a minute. How many times have you seen a speaker step up to the podium or on stage and hope they fail miserably. Most people don’t think this way. We like for people to do well. We want to hear a good presenter. We want to be delighted by the experience.

Relax and give them your best. They want you to nail this.