Performance anxiety is a biological fact of life whether you are running track, diving from a 30 foot high board or presenting to a group. What you experience as nervousness is adrenaline running through your body. That rush is nature’s way of getting you ready to face the upcoming challenge. You can let those jitters paralyze you or power you up to win. Here’s how to use them to win.
Move!
Do what the Olympics athletes did. Move! Get that adrenalin flowing. Don’t try to control the adrenaline, which only freezes you up. Use it to get you ready to perform at your best. Before the water events, the swimmers hopped around, slapped their legs and arms. Before the track events, the runners walked around, took practice starts. They accepted the adrenaline rush. They did not fight it.
3 Tips to Control Physical Jitters
- Warm up: Find private space (a restroom, an empty elevator) and walk around, jump up and down, roll your shoulders, roll your head, stretch. If you are sitting in a room waiting your turn to present, gently lower your shoulders. No one will notice and the natural tension that can build in your neck and shoulders will ease up.
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- Embrace the adrenaline: Tell yourself, This is normal. This is my body getting me ready to perform.
- Breathe: As you are walking down the hall into your meeting room, inhale slowly through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth. This will center you. During your presentation, remember to breathe naturally.
Then, Just Do It
Like the Olympic athletes, assuming you have prepared, focus all that energy onto your goal (of informing or persuading your audience) and give it your best shot. You will likely do quite well.
Anne Miller
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