You can deal with performance anxiety by reappraising it and centering yourself.

The big day has arrived. In a few hours, you’ll be on the stage for the big presentation, pitching your product in front of people you’ve never seen before. You’re so nervous you could explode.

You’ve probably experienced pre-performance anxiety at some point, whether before a job interview or before a big tennis game

Anticipatory anxiousness is a physiological reaction to stress.

When you feel threatened, your body produces adrenaline, a hormone that causes an increase in your blood pressure, as well as your heart and respiratory rates. Now, this is helpful if you have to run away or engage in a physical confrontation. It’s not so great, however, when there’s no tangible threat of danger.

Well, one way to alleviate this is to reappraise it.

As per a study conducted, before giving a performance, participants were told to do one of three things: say “I’m so excited,” say “I’m so nervous” or say nothing and try to remain calm.

The participants who announced their excitement, and thus reappraised it, performed better than the others. They managed to alchemize anxiety into excitement.

Your body responds to hormones with particular emotions like joy, happiness, or fulfillment under the right mindset. When you tell yourself that you’re nervous, your body will respond by releasing hormones, causing you to feel fear. Similarly, when you tell yourself you’re excited, the body will respond by releasing the SAME hormones, causing you to feel excitement. Essentially, mindset is everything. Our minds are the true master of our emotional body and our bodies will respond by turning our thoughts into feelings.

Centering is yet another anxiety-reducing technique. Aikido masters in Japan remain calm yet intent when practicing their martial art. Robert Nideffer, a sports psychologist, devised steps to achieving similar focus.

Begin by breathing deeply. While concentrating on your breath, release the tension in your muscles. Then imagine that all your body’s energy is concentrated in your physical center, the point just beneath your belly button. Once it’s all there, release it.

This centering technique will bring you calm and renewed focus.

Beliefs can improve your performance.

Just consider the surprising findings of Lancaster University’s Sally Linkenauger. In one study, she found that if golfers believed their clubs had once belonged to renowned Professional Golfers’ Association players, they performed much better. Compared to a control group, they estimated holes to be 9 percent larger and were 32 percent more likely to sink their putts.

Linkenauger thinks this is due to “positive contagion,” a term she coined to describe the idea that objects can be imbued with the powers of the people who touch them. It’s also partially why people cherish autographs; the mere signature of a famous person infuses the signed paper with a special intimacy.

Use music to improve your physical performance.

One minute of music had significant effects. It hastened the heartbeats, as well as tensed their muscles and lowered their anxiety. It truly does improve people’s performance.

The effects of motivational music are less vague. When listening to inspirational music, a person will begin to move in sync with the beat. This synchronicity both energizes and calms you.

Conclusion

Whether you’re running a 100-meter sprint or a board meeting, you want to ensure you put in your best performance. Luckily, there are ways to give yourself a competitive edge. By selecting the right music, by beliefs or by reappraising, you can fend off anxiety and psych yourself up for any occasion.