Instead of viewing pre-performance physiological arousal as anxiety, reframe it as excitement or energy. Sam Harris explains that the physical sensations are nearly identical; consciously relabeling them connects the feeling to a positive desire to perform well, rather than a fear of failure.
The doctrine of mutually assured destruction (MAD) relies on the threat of retaliation. However, once an enemy's nuclear missiles are in the air, that threat has failed. Sam Harris argues that launching a counter-strike at that point serves no strategic purpose and is a morally insane act of mass murder.
Sam Harris argues that the most effective way to conquer stage fright isn't mental exercises like mindfulness, but repeatedly engaging in the feared activity. This process, similar to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, retrains the nervous system by demonstrating that the outcome is not catastrophic, thereby desensitizing the fear response.
While modernizing nuclear command and control systems seems logical, their current antiquated state offers a paradoxical security benefit. Sam Harris suggests this technological obsolescence makes them less vulnerable to modern hacking techniques, creating an unintentional layer of safety against cyber-initiated launches.