Tag: overcome performance anxiety

How to overcome performance anxiety: a 5-step guide

Have you ever heard that joke that many people would rather be in their own coffins at a funeral than give a eulogy? While this may be a bit of an exaggeration, it would not be an overstatement to say that most people would agree. Heart racing, sweaty palms, dry mouth, shaking knees. You know that gut-wrenching feeling you get. Most of us feel a certain degree of anxiety when preparing to speak up in front of a group, whether it is six people or thousands, whether it is a presentation, a group interview, an oral exam or a meeting in the office. Performance anxiety, often called stage fright, is all in your head, but manifests itself in the physical sense. When you feel that all eyes are on you, your self-awareness makes it nearly impossible to focus on what is really going on around you. Your mind goes foggy and ...