Last week we took a somewhat brief look at a few tips and tricks to help you prepare for a performance, as well as for during said performance. This week we’re going to take a little bit of a closer look at possibly the most dreaded aspect of that preparation: performance anxiety, also known as stage fright. Stage fright is consistently cited as one of the most common phobias in the Western world. It is so ubiquitous that even hugely successful celebrities suffer from it. Grammy award winning artists like Sir Elton John and Adele have to deal with it every time they set foot on a stage, and British Pop sing Robbie Williams even had to cancel a 2006 record breaking tour because of debilitating stage fright. He wouldn’t even go back on tour until 2013. So remember, you’re not alone!

So right about now you’re probably thinking, “Well if big stars like them have a hard time overcoming their stage fright, what chance do I have?” Fear not! That is exactly what we’re going to put to rest today. There is no one way to deal with performance anxiety, and everyone has to customize their approach to their own unique issues, but there are a few basic tips everyone can use.

Before you even find yourself in a situation where you might feel stage fright, like a performance, there are a few things it is important to try to keep in mind. First, accept and expect that you will feel that old familiar anxiety. It is important for you to know that it is okay to feel that way. Anxiety is normal, and if you allow yourself to work with it, and ride it, rather than fight against it, you’ll be more likely to find yourself calming down. Secondly, you’ve got to try to remember that even though there may be a large audience, they’re not there to see you specifically (well, maybe except your mother). The audience is there to see a group of people perform a set of songs for their enjoyment and entertainment. Today you just happen to be a part of that group of people. You are part of the whole, and a great show is not dependent on your single part to play.

Once the anxiety begins, the number one thing to remember is to treat the cause, not just the symptoms. We all know the symptoms: a racing heart, sweaty palms, trembling hands, shallow breathing, and occasionally nausea. It can be difficult to do anything with even a few of these, so it’s no big surprise most people equate overcoming performance anxiety with getting rid of these symptoms. But really taking care of only these issues is a temporary solution at best. These physical reactions to stress are an important part of our “flight or fight” response, and when we’re faced with an actual threat (like coming across a dangerous person or animal), they play an important role in survival. What is more important when dealing with stage fright is figuring out what it is about performing that causes you to go into that “fight or flight” mode. Once the true source of your anxiety is identified, dealing with it, and its effects on your body and attitude become much more bearable.

There are all kinds of different types of counterproductive thinking that can cause someone to feel the physiological signs of anxiety. Identifying your flawed thinking is step one for treating the cause of your stage fright. Some of the more common thinking distortions are things like all-or-nothing thinking, in which you see everything as black or white; if you make a single mistake you see yourself or your performance as a complete failure. Some people reject positive experiences, saying they “don’t count” for one reason or another. There is also a common problem with magnification or minimization. With magnification, people blow things way out of proportion; single mistake becomes the end of the world. Minimization is the exact opposite: people reduce their own importance or achievements until they feel they don’t matter at all. For a more complete list of some of the negative ways people think about performing, check out this page from the University of Wisconsin. You may not realize that your thinking is distorted until it is presented to you, but once you understand that the way you are thinking isn’t helping, it makes fighting against it much easier.

For many people the prospect of playing for an audience can bring random, irrational fears of total disaster. This is commonly referred to as “catastrophizing.” Most of the time these feelings have no fixed point, and are just vague emotions. This is when people say things like “I have a bad feeling about this.” It’s true that these feelings are negative, but I’m not going to sit here and tell you to “stay positive” or ask “what’s the worst that could really happen?” No, what I’m going to tell you is to try to replace these irrational fears with more rational thoughts. Instead of thinking things like “I will give the best performance ever!” try to focus your thoughts on what you need you need to do to play successfully. Shift away from thinking about what the audience may think, and try to think about things rationally, like the fact that the audience wont notice small mistakes. Positive thinking can play a very important role in this, but the trick is keeping it rational.

When faced with performance anxiety it is important to remember that you are not alone. It is more than likely that a number of your band-mates are also dealing with similar negative feelings and anxiety. Everyone suffers from it from time to time, and it can be overcome. Performing more often helps, and drawing strength and confidence from your fellow performers can be a big boost. Try to keep in mind that your goal shouldn’t be the elimination of anxiety, because that just isn’t going to happen. Instead your goal should be to limit it, focus your thinking on rational things, and try to enjoy yourself!