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A Simple Technique to Immediately Stop Feeling Nervous
Reframe nervousness as excitement—and turn stress into a powerful energy source.
Bruce Springsteen signed for Columbia Records in 1972. Since then, he has played about 2,600 live concerts(1).
But despite his vast experience, he can still feel his nerves kick into high gear before every show(2):
Just before I go on stage, my heart beats a little faster . . . my hands sweat a little . . . my legs go numb as if I’m getting pins and needles . . . and then I get a tight feeling in the pit of my stomach that starts to spin round and round . . .
It doesn’t sound very pleasant, does it? Still, Springsteen doesn’t try to calm down. Instead, he welcomes these bodily sensations:
When I get all those feelings, I know I’m excited, pumped up, and ready to go onstage.
Springsteen perceives his intense pre-show emotions as a good sign, and that turns them into a powerful energy source.
Calming Down vs. Getting Excited
Most people assume that the best way to deal with nervousness is to try to calm down.
But research shows that Springsteen’s approach is way more effective.
