Managing your nerves at your next pitch

If you're like me, handling surges of stress on stage sucks. 

I’ve always been insecure in front of an audience. So by the time I hit the spotlight, I'm a ticking time bomb of sweat, nausea and stage fright. From shaky hands to a trembling voice, the symptoms of stage fright are exactly the OPPOSITE of what I want to share in front of an audience. 

When we get nervous like this, it’s tough to handle. The big question is...how do we do better managing our nerves? 

First: Remember this is normal

To manage our nerves, we need to give our overactive, super-sensitive brains an attitude adjustment.

FIRST: Remember that stage fright is NORMAL with a capital-N.

If we're out of our comfort zone, our bodies trigger a "fight or flight" response automatically.  Like a fussy mama bird, our overprotective brains are hard at work shielding us from something scary.

And remember that EVERYBODY deals with stage fright and nervous reactions sometimes. (Yes, even A-listers like Jennifer Aniston, Barbara Streisand and Adele have admitted to this.)

Next: Put your brain in trouble-shooting mode

Remember that this presentation (or pitch, or interview) is a learning experience. Challenge yourself to practice your skills, see what progress you’ve made, and try to improve.

Pay attention to new sensations or impressions, and reflect on how you’ve upped your game since last time you were in the spotlight.

Seeing this event as an opportunity to build skills immediately helps gives your brain a TASK (and helps keep the anxiety at bay). 

Finally: Breathe 

NEXT: Breathing and relaxation is always important when we're nervous. I like to use “tactical breathing” (also known as “box breathing”)

Used by surgeons, doctors, and the U.S. Navy Seals, this trick can help us calm down our nervous system and counteract the physiological reactions of stress. 

Here's my version of tactical breathing:

1.   Breathe in...and count to four.

2.   Hold your breath...and count to four.

3.   Exhale...count to four.

4.   Count to four before your next inhalation.

5.   Repeat 5 or 6 times.

 As you breathe, visualize each step as a “side” of a box (I like to imagine a blue line tracing the shape of a box while I breathe and count).

Even a few calming breaths while you’re waiting to go on stage can help you get focused, and prepare for stepping into the spotlight.