Tag Archives: performance

Conquering Performance Fears and Anxiety

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Performance fear or performance anxiety takes on several different forms. However, it is associated with the growing awareness and the need to perform according to the standard of your own field of activity, whether it’s your workplace, or an upcoming presentation or speech you must give, or for a specific sports activity. With the pressure to perform ones best, there is always a preconditioned mindset for the person suffering from performance fear that if anything should go wrong, that will eventually impact their performance and reduce it to failure.

Studies are still ongoing to determine exactly the cause of this fear but it is closely coupled to a persons desire to do better at something. As humans, we are not perfect so you need to recognize that experiencing performance fear is considered, completely normal. But some may often have an unrealistic level of fear or misconception about a given situation that impair their logical decision making capacities and can lead to substandard performance.

There are various types of performance fears or anxieties, whether it’s work related, public speaking, or sports event. Therefore, the ways, although similar, in which you deal with a particular fear, will differ as well. Following are some basic methods suggested in order to minimize the level of fear and associated level of anxiety with performing these different tasks.

In sports, the best way to get rid of any performance fears associated when competing at a sports event is to take it easy on yourself. Even the worlds best athletes have their days off, where they may not perform at their maximum potential. When engaged in sports, you cannot expect to win all the time and you must realize your team may lose on occasion. Whatever your sport or related activity, setting realistic goals is the first step that will help you deal with sports performance fears and anxiety. However, you can turn the adrenaline produced by your anxious feelings into energy that you can harness to perform better at your sport. And when you are performing the actual feat, try to enjoy the experience and you will find the process of competition more rewarding.

When Delivering a speech, many people have this fear of speaking in public. Most of that fear is produced by the pressure of having to deliver a flawless speech that is able to communicate the message to the audience effectively. Instead of letting that fear overtake you, harness it into a systematic plan that will ensure you have control over the situation.

Here are a few tips you can apply when preparing to deliver a speech. Be sure you plan ahead and allow time for research for your speech, even if you are an expert in your field. Doing some research can help to confirm your facts and reduce some of your anxiety. Plan ahead the schedule and location where the speech is going to be held. And I’m sure you heard this before, Practice. Practice. Practice.

As for the workplace, there are a few inherently stressful jobs that require a high level of standards for their employees to meet. To stay on top of job related performance anxiety, it is always a good idea to stop and talk about it, with either your boss, co-workers, or family members. Existing in isolation and trying to confront your fears alone could increase your fear thereby increasing your level of anxiety and make the situation worse. It is important to have the support of other people around you. Also, try to change your perspective. There are times where you may experience job inadequacies but view it as a learning curve or just an off day. Aiming for perfection is good but you need to realize that it is unachievable. You should focus on what you can contribute to the company instead of what you are failing to deliver. Is the glass half empty, or half full.

When managing and conquering fear, you need to understand that only you have power over your fear, especially when it determines how well you perform at something. Following are some tips that can be taken in order for you to overcome these fears; Try to identify the source of your problematic perception or anything that could trigger such fears. Once you have identified the external source of your anxiety, look within yourself. Determine how you react to it and why you react in that way. Desist from criticizing yourself or questioning your ability to perform. Instead of letting fear consume you, take the necessary steps and preparations needed for your optimum performance. After completing the performance of your speech, athletic event or job task, do not focus too much on areas of mistakes or failures in a way that it impairs your self-confidence. Instead, look at them as conditions that need improvement in order for you to do better in your next performance.

One final note in dealing with conquering your fears is to seek out some self help information such as articles, audio tapes or videos dealing with this subject. Realize you are not alone in these feelings and many people have contributed some very helpful tactics that will help you to conquer your fear.

 

The author has been studying the reasons for and remedies of our fears to better his own. He believes that all fears can be conquered, which if not dealt with, can hamper a persons ability to achieve all they want from their lives. A video tutorial is available at [http://www.conqure-your-fears.com]

 

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Tips for Dealing With Music Performance Nerves Part 1

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It is important for performers to seek methods to deal with the feelings accompanying fear and nerves. The following are several simple methods to alleviate mild nervousness.

1. Before performing, you must first remember that you have practiced to the best of your ability and remind yourself of this. You have used your practicing skills in the most effective way you know. Of course, there will always be things you look to improve in your playing, but given all the circumstances that have led to this moment, you have worked hard as you can. Now the practicing is over. What you will do now, is to use your “hook point”, (what?) something you would have encountered during practice sessions. The hook point (hp) is at work, for example, when you learn the fingering for a piece. When you repeat and reinforce the new patterns, the hp is the moment where your brain starts to recognise the pattern and become familiar with what your fingers are doing, usually after many repetitions. The information from this process is retained, so that when you go on to practice other areas like articulation/dynamics, you don’t have to think too hard about the fingering. The most comforting aspect of the hp is that when it is time for you to perform, what you do is recall what/where was the hp, or areas you played easily during practice. Usually, once your ear recognises a passage you’ve practiced many times over, your brain will trigger the familiarity that the fingers developed in practice.

2. Do not draw conclusions about what just happened or what might/might not happen. Self-criticism while performing is pointless because it takes you out of the here and now and destroys your focus and physical actions.

Whatever the criticism, it introduces a verbal aspect into an activity that is most successful when it is non-verbal. Reserve judgment for after the performance, preferably after you have listened to other people’s reactions. Rather than judge your playing, simply observe it without saying anything, and play from the heart. For example, when you are about to make a crescendo, go for it and then feel it as you are doing it. There is nothing verbal about this process. You are, rather, putting intention into action – that is, motivating.

3. Do not second-guess the audiences reaction to your playing. When performing we become mind readers and believe we know exactly what the responses to our playing are. More often than not, these thoughts prove to be completely, wildly inaccurate and only serve to further distract us from our aim. An example: I was once playing a recital, with only twenty people in the audience. As soon as I came out to perform, I noticed a guy who looked familiar, but whom I could not quite place where I had seen him before. For most of the first piece, I was only partially thinking about the music, the other part, wondering who he was and (even worse) what he thought about the playing (crazy I know).

Finally I remembered that he was a respected piano teacher and accompanist I once met at a music shop near where I live. He was undoubtedly going to listen to the music on the program with a keen attention to detail and pick holes at the whole performance. Throughout the entire time, I was preoccupied with these thoughts and not surprisingly, the whole experience became gradually uncomfortable for me. Afterward, when he came to speak to me, I discovered that this piano teacher was, in fact, a jazz and pop specialist rather than a connoisseur of classical music and was very complimentary of my performance. Later I thought, “what an incredible waste of mental energy!” How remarkable it is that the vast resources of ones imagination can be used for such futile, self-destructive mind-games! You probably have had similar experiences.

Trying to imagine what the audience thinks of your playing is useless and distracting. You must please yourself first.

 

Ugo Onwutalu is a musician and piano teacher, also playing the guitar and organ. He is the founder of Grade Music Tutors, a UK music tuition production and entertainment organisation based in London. Visit http://www.grademusicworld.com for information on everything music-related, from learning an instrument and preparing for your exams, to getting a job in the music industry.

 

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