By simply relabeling the feeling of stress as "excitement," you can trigger a different physiological and psychological response. This technique, known as anxiety reappraisal, can lead to measurably better performance in high-pressure situations like public speaking or presentations.
Related Insights
Surrendering your will to a purpose beyond yourself, similar to 12-step programs, is a powerful tool for overcoming performance anxiety. This act of letting go is especially difficult for talented, self-reliant individuals but is key to trading personal stress for universal strength.
A mental performance coach taught diver Molly Carlson to visualize fear as a piece of paper in front of her eyes. Instead of trying to destroy the paper, she gently shifts it to the side, allowing it to exist without consuming her focus, freeing her to perform.
The physiological states of anxiety and excitement are nearly identical. Relabeling the feeling by saying "I'm excited" shifts your mindset from threat-based to opportunity-based, improving performance in tasks like public speaking or negotiation.
Shift your mindset away from a pass/fail evaluation, which fuels anxiety about uncontrollable outcomes. Instead, approach the situation as a curious exploration. This reframe lowers the psychological stakes, reduces nervousness, and allows for more authentic and effective engagement.
The word "presentation" permits crutches like teleprompters. Viewing a talk as a "performance" acknowledges the audience, demands rigorous preparation, and shifts the goal toward being entertaining and engaging, not just informative.
Top performers don't conquer nervousness; they listen to it. Self-doubt is an indicator to lean into, not a signal to stop. Performance coach Giselle Ugardi suggests talking back to your inner critic as a way to reframe and manage the feeling, rather than trying to suppress it.
Instead of treating fear as a psychological flaw, view it as a neutral, physical vibration in the body. This atomic perspective, inspired by physics, allows you to step out of self-judgment and use the energy creatively. You stop managing the 'idea' of anxiety and start experiencing the raw sensation.
Instead of shying away from uncomfortable situations, reframe them as your personal "teacher." Adopting the mindset that "everything is here to teach me" transforms fear of failure into an opportunity for profound growth, helping you expand your capabilities and master your ego.
In high-stress situations, attentional resources are depleted. Attempting to force a positive reframe ("this is exciting, not scary") is cognitively expensive and can degrade performance further. A mindful, non-judgmental acceptance of the situation is less taxing and more effective at preserving cognitive function.
To shift from anxiety to a peak performance state, use physical mechanisms. A specific technique involves scaled, intense breathing to oxygenate the brain and lower cortisol, followed by Qigong "cupping" to open the body's meridians. This provides a physiological lever for emotional regulation.