How To Overcome Stage Fright And Perform Your Best

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Candice Stephens
6 years ago
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How To Overcome Stage Fright And Perform Your Best What I ve done here is give you an overwhelming amount of tips and tricks to use to combat that rush of fear that comes when you are about to

1 How To Overcome Stage Fright And Perform Your Best What I ve done here is give you an overwhelming amount of tips and tricks to use to combat that rush of fear that comes when you are about to perform. And if you re anything like me, the performance anxiety doesn t just arrive minutes or seconds before it s your time to perform; it can come hours, even days before the event and increase in strength as the performance draws nearer and nearer. My hope here isn t that you will do every one of the things I ve listed. It s a really long list. My goal is to give you enough information that you can pull two, three, maybe four or five of these things out and apply them to your specific situation. Some of these will speak to you more than others, and a couple of them will become your mantra, your strength every time you have an opportunity to perform. For most people, anxiety doesn t ever fully go away, no matter how many times they perform. But consider this, if you didn t get nervous at all, then you probably don t care all that much, and you might be better off doing something different anyway. We get nervous about things that matter to us,

2 and that s a good thing. Nerves are a way of knowing that this is something you care about, something in which you have a degree of passion. So, the goal is to direct that passion toward the performance and not let the adrenaline and nerves choke you out instead. So, here are a list of tips, tricks and thoughts. Keep reading until you find a few that you know that you are willing to do and will do, ones that resonate with you and target your specific feeling of fear. Here we go! Sleep Well As I mentioned above, a big part of the fear comes well before the event itself, and because sleep is so important for so many reasons, my first tip addresses your rest. The night before (even the few nights leading up to) your performance, take a melatonin sleep aid. This is a natural, nonaddictive sleep aid that won t make you feel drowsy but will help you fall asleep and stay asleep. You can find it at a health food store, like Whole

3 Foods or Trader Joe s, and you can probably even find it at your local grocery store. The first thing to go when you are sleep deprived, at any level, is cognition, your ability to think clearly and file information. You want all your cognitive skills at your fingertips when you are about to perform. This will help you remember lyrics and think clearly about all that you need to have in place for the performance. Sleep also helps your voice, and body, stay healthy, allowing you to sing and perform at your peak level. Know Thyself The more you understand about yourself and what you are afraid of, the better chance you have of combating that fear. Different people are afraid of different things when it comes to performing. Once you are able to name the fear, you can stare it straight in the face and see if it s as scary as you thought it was. And if it is as scary as you thought, at least now you can take deliberate, focused steps to alleviate it.

Prepare This is, no doubt, the most important piece, and much of what is below will in some way relate to preparation. Preparation leads to relaxation, which leads to diminished fear.

4 Prepare This is, no doubt, the most important piece, and much of what is below will in some way relate to preparation. Preparation leads to relaxation, which leads to diminished fear. Much of the fear comes from thinking you will forget words or crack on a note or whatever, which are all things that can be mostly avoided through preparation. For example, memorize your lyrics early on, so that it is in your long-term memory. And doing regular vocal exercises will help cut down the possibility of your voice cracking or not being able to hit a note, etc. Have a System Knowing that preparation will help, set yourself up to win, to be prepared. You know the things that will motivate you better than anyone else does. Give yourself goals and rewards to do a certain amount of exercises within a certain time frame. Memorize the song and lyrics by a week before, etc. Take the time to create a system. Make it fun. Make it like a game for yourself. And do a little bit everyday. Practice At Performance Level

Knowing that your performance will only be as good as your practice, make sure that you sing your song at full volume, full emotion and hit all the high notes several times before trying to do so in

5 Knowing that your performance will only be as good as your practice, make sure that you sing your song at full volume, full emotion and hit all the high notes several times before trying to do so in front of a crowd. If you practice at a high level regularly before your show, and are able to pull it off well, then doing it in front of others will be a no-brainer. Now, you may not be able to do the whole song at performance level when you first start practicing. That s to be expected. So, what you can do is practice certain sections of the song and then put them all together as you get more and more comfortable with the individual parts. Make sure you do the whole song through, though, several times before you perform, so you know you have the chops to do it in front of others when you re fighting off nerves and butterflies. Mental Preparation/Visualization While this isn t a big one for me, many people find it extremely helpful, so I wanted to include it here. If you ve read books like The Secret you know what I m getting at here. Visualization can be a very valuable tool. If you

can visualize something before it happens, you make a pathway for yourself to get there more easily. One of the keys here is to imagine yourself singing your song in front of a crowd.

6 can visualize something before it happens, you make a pathway for yourself to get there more easily. One of the keys here is to imagine yourself singing your song in front of a crowd. But don t start right there. Go through the details of what you will need to do right before you walk on stage and before that, and before that. Working and walking through the details of the performance helps diminish some of the fear of the unknown, which is a big one for most of us, and it also, as I said before, lays out a pathway for you to follow. It s important that you visualize yourself succeeding and being applauded, not just simply performing. Give this a try. It works for a lot of people! Visit The Venue One powerful aid to visualization is to actually visit the venue where you will be performing. This will give you a clearer picture of what to imagine when visualizing and will also cut down on the fear of the unknown. It can be to know where you will be standing, what kind of mic you will be using, how you will come on and off stage, etc. Routine

7 Stick to your regular routine as much as possible, especially as it relates to sleep patterns, eating and exercise. While change can often be exciting, it generally adds a layer of anxiety that is better to be avoided on the day of, or day before, a performance. If you plan any changes make it a pampering change. Get a massage or a new outfit, or shoes, etc. While consumerism and performing don t need to work together, it is true that you feel more confident when you are dressed well, in an outfit that is either new, new to you or one of your existing favorites that you know you look good wearing. Eat! Make sure you eat. Nerves kill the appetite, but you need energy and alertness. This goes along with the routine tip; eat like you normally would. Eat the kinds of things that you normally eat and you know sit well with you. The last thing you want to have to deal with on performance day is an upset stomach. Also, make sure not to eat too close to performing. Feeling full or stuffed is going to make it more difficult to get the proper amount of

air without some discomfort. And, obviously, overeating is not going to help you out at all. And avoid eating greasy and/or spicy food the day before, or day of, because of acid reflux.

8 air without some discomfort. And, obviously, overeating is not going to help you out at all. And avoid eating greasy and/or spicy food the day before, or day of, because of acid reflux. Acid on your vocal chords is not going to lead to anything good. Exercise Exercise helps give you energy and focus, and it helps you to relax. It s always a good idea to work off that nervous energy. Also, exercise releases endorphins in your brain, which positively alters your mood and perspective. Often times, nerves are simply a distorted perspective of reality, and you just need to step back and get a proper view of the situation. Taking time to workout can give you the space, adrenaline and endorphins to give you just that. You don t want to exhaust yourself by working out too hard, of course. This defeats the purpose. Working out is a healthy way to take up time, too. If you find yourself having too much time on your hands, having blocked out a chunk of a day or

week to prepare, this is a good way to pass the time verses sitting and obsessing about all that could go wrong or over practicing to the point that you ve completely

Any way you feel comfortable involving your audience will go a long way with how the performance is perceived and how nervous you feel.

9 week to prepare, this is a good way to pass the time verses sitting and obsessing about all that could go wrong or over practicing to the point that you ve completely sucked the fun out of the process. Involve Audience Talk to the audience. Tell a joke or welcome them. Thank them for coming out. Ask them to stand or clap. Any way you feel comfortable involving your audience will go a long way with how the performance is perceived and how nervous you feel. If the audience is working with you to make the performance as good as possible, this could take some of the weight off your shoulders. Smile It s really simple, but merely smiling can help change your mood. You

10 psyche follows the lead of what your physical body is doing. Also, when you smile, people react differently to you, more positively, which creates and cycle that leads to a better mood, a better perspective and, in turn, less stress. Force yourself to laugh, not too loudly. But smile and laugh. And then giggle at yourself for being so silly. Before you know it, your mood will begin to alter and your stress will start to melt away. Fake It Until You Make It This is along the same lines, following the same principle as above. Act the way you want to feel. Act deliberately calm, lighthearted, and enthusiastic. This will help make you feel this way. It calms you, and the people around you, too Lower Lower your eyebrows and your shoulders. When you re feeling stressed, both tend to rise, and both make you look and feel tense. Make A List

11 There is often so much going on in your head that your mind feels cluttered. You re trying to remember all the things you need to take care of, and it s taking up too much space in you noggin. When you make a list, you get that to-do list out of your head and onto the paper. This simple thing really helps relieve stress. You can now look at all that needs to be done, without stressing about forgetting something, and you can cross things off as you complete them. Knocking things off the list is a stress relieving exercise itself. Compile Together All You Need They could film a comedy show just by setting a camera in front of my apartment, watching how many times I come in and out of my front door when I leaving to go somewhere. I can be so absentminded and forget a dozen little things I need before I leave. You may be the same way. If you set out all you need for the gig in one place, you will know that you have all that you need and quickly where to find it. This can alleviate some of your anxiety before a performance. Attire I touched a little bit about attire earlier when I said to wear a favorite outfit or something new so that you project confidence. The other thing to keep in mind when picking out what to wear is that you are most likely going to

sweat a lot, much more than normal. So, wear colors that won t show a huge pit sweat stain. Avoid Wearing Heels When performing, wear low heels or flats.

12 sweat a lot, much more than normal. So, wear colors that won t show a huge pit sweat stain. Avoid Wearing Heels When performing, wear low heels or flats. Wobbly knees is a symptom of nerves and stage fright. You don t want you fear of tripping on stage to become a reality. The more centered and low to the ground you are the better, which leads to my next point. Balance Your Weight Don t lock your knee, but keep your weight balanced. If not you will be tempted to shift back and forth, which is distracting. Walking back and forth and moving around purposefully is great, because motion creates emotion. But if your movement looks like aimless, nervous wandering, it s better to stand still and keep your weight balanced. Don t Lock Your Knees

Keep your weight balanced, but avoid locking your knees. Over an extended period of time, this does weird things to your circulation and could cause you to pass out.

13 Keep your weight balanced, but avoid locking your knees. Over an extended period of time, this does weird things to your circulation and could cause you to pass out. You may have seen You Tube videos of groomsmen and bridesmaids passing out at wedding. This is generally why. Take Deep Breaths You don t want to hyperventilate, of course, but taking a few deep breaths in a row has an amazing ability to calm you down. Fear is a bodily reaction that can be combated. When you re afraid you naturally start to take short, shallow breaths. Instead, breathe slowly and calmly. Your mind will eventually follow your body. Stretch In the Superior Singing Method course, I give you plenty of stretching type exercises that will help cut down stress and anxiety, but even just stretching your arms above your head and swinging them around will help you feel loose and relaxed.

Sit Up Straight I know, I m starting to sound like your mom, right?! When performing, if you sit, avoid leaning back. This tends to drain and immobilize you.

14 Sit Up Straight I know, I m starting to sound like your mom, right?! When performing, if you sit, avoid leaning back. This tends to drain and immobilize you. If you lean forward and put your feet on ground, you will feel more energized and ready to sing. Not to mention, this is better posture for having enough air to sing properly. If you do cross your legs put your knee farthest from audience on ground. This will give you more of an open position toward your audience and allow you to look less closed off. Imagine audience You ve heard it said that if you imagine your audience naked or bald or whatever, this will kill some of your nerves. This may or may not work, but it will certainly make you laugh at your own silliness, which will definitely calm you! First Impression

15 When you first face your audience breathe deeply and then smile at them. This is part of the fake it until you make it and partially the smile principle, but this also gives a first impression to the audience of who you are. If they perceive you to be warm, calm and happy to be there, they will feel similarly, which will effect they way they respond to you throughout your performance and make them want to root for you. All is this ultimately make you less nervous and help you to perform better. Song Selection This may seem obvious, but pick a song that you love and are passionate about. It will show. If you have the option to choose, pick one that is newer and more exciting to you. Don t go the safe route and just sing a song, or a set of songs, that you are very familiar with but deep inside totally sick of singing and hearing. This can be the temptation because you feel like you will be able to pull it off more easily. The performance, though it may go without a hitch, will feel full and rehearsed, which is worse than a passionate performance that isn t 100% perfectly executed.

Perform More Often At the end of the day, the best way to overcome performance anxiety is to perform more often and get more comfortable with the process. Practice makes better.

16 Perform More Often At the end of the day, the best way to overcome performance anxiety is to perform more often and get more comfortable with the process. Practice makes better. The Audience Wants You To Succeed It s important to remember that 99.9% of audience members want you to do well. You re your own worst critic, always picking yourself apart. You notice everything. Audience notices far less. Most little mistakes wash right over the crowd, and they don t even notice. Don t let a little (even a few) mistakes get you rattled. Keep going, and they will forget, if they even caught it in the first place, which they probably didn t. There s Something Wrong With Me Don t assume that you should be calm. I ve been performing for over a dozen years, and I still get somewhat nervous before I step onto stage. Expect to be a little nervous and jittery. If you know that this is the norm, it

will calm you some. And the adrenaline rush can actually help you perform well. There is nothing wrong with you. Most everybody gets nervous about standing up in front of any size crowd.

17 will calm you some. And the adrenaline rush can actually help you perform well. There is nothing wrong with you. Most everybody gets nervous about standing up in front of any size crowd. Acting/Improv Classes If you have the opportunity, take some acting or improv classes. These give you an opportunity to get in front of people on a regular basis and work out some of the early jitters. Singing in front of people is a whole different animal, but this is a great start! Perform For Friends Perform the piece for people who love you and are encouraging. Their praise will build a confidence in you even if you know that they would say it s good no matter what. It will still add points to your confidence meter. In N Out Getting in and getting out are the toughest part of performing, especially the in part. The middle takes care of itself. Fake it until you make it. Don t think about getting through a whole song or set of songs, just the first minute of the first song. After that, you should be chill.

18 Stakes It s not the end of the world. We get ourselves so worked up over things that have importance but not nearly the level of vitality we ascribe to it. Yes, you want to do well, but, yes, life will go on if you make a mistake. Remember, this is something that you want to do, something that you enjoy and have probably wanted to do for a long time now. Don t an over-inflated sense of responsibility suck all the fun out of the process. Imagine the worst-case scenario, and then back it up to a more realistic one, and ask yourself if it s something you can live with. More then likely, it will work out better than you think, but even the very worse case scenario isn t that big of deal. Grasshoppers In Our Own Eyes How you perceive yourself is important. Equal dangers lie on either side of the pendulum. An over-inflated view of yourself may give you some false confidence but hinder your ability to prepare and actually be great, while a small view of yourself can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. The truth is, if you ve gotten this far and are reading these words right now, you re most likely a better singer than you think already. Believe in yourself. Practice, but believe in yourself, and just go for it. You haven t much to lose, and you have so much to gain.

Episode 12: How to Squash The Video Jitters! Subscribe to the podcast here.

Episode 12: How to Squash The Video Jitters! Subscribe to the podcast here. Hey everybody. Welcome to Episode #12 of my podcast where I am going to help you shake off those annoying, pesky little jitters