Tips for Managing Performance Anxiety

Play Detective. Go after solid information about how your body responds before and during a performance.

Confront Symptoms. If you are not surprised by the symptoms, you can’t be a victim. When we accept the symptoms, we discover that they can only get so intense, and then they tend to dissipate.

Fear is Energy. Channel the energy you might use to suppress the panic symptoms and refocus it on your playing. The same physiological process is occurring when you are excited and when you are anxious. Think: this is excitement. Confront fear “head on” and let the adrenaline move through your body, liberating the energy of fear and making it available for creative action.

Labeling/Understanding Inner Critics. Using Cognitive/self-talk techniques, we can understand our greatest fears and self-judgments and transform them into more rational and productive self-statements.

Practice identifying and labeling self-talk. Feeling judged brings up deeply held beliefs that may include feelings of inadequacy/inferiority/competition/envy. This may relate to past critical voices (e.g., teachers, past bandmates, parents) or painful or unresolved experiences of rejection or disappointment.

Change negative self-talk. “I’ll never be a great drummer” can become “Every day I am progressing toward excellent drumming.”

Refocus body awareness. Refocus attention away from the critical thoughts or vague rumblings in the head to body sensations or movements (e.g., pay careful attention to the feeling of the sticks in your hand. Feel the vibration of the sticks making contact with a cymbal or your buttocks on the drum throne.) Refocus your attention on something outside yourself (e.g., the sound of the bass player). Be open and responsive to the other players, i.e., send your attention outward. Get the judging “left brain” to place attention on a “right brain” activity.

Permission to Feel Scared. Reinterpret the scared/anxious feelings and symptoms as excitement. Welcome the rush of adrenaline that we need to keep our performance “edgy” and exciting. Use/channel the energy as opposed to “fighting it.”

Slow down/Focus on Breathing. Don’t rush; take your time setting up and sitting down on the drum stool. Take a deep breath, and exhale. Use control of breath as a means of slowing down symptoms of the autonomic nervous system. It will help harness “out of control” energy.

Dial Down the Anxiety. Rate your anxiety on a dial going from 0 to 11! See/feel/sense it in your mind: a large dial at, let’s say, 8. Watch the “hand” on the dial begin to move to 7 as you breathe, down to 6, and so on; breath in and out on each number down.

Preparation and Experience. Being well prepared and able to recover or play through mistakes is the best strategy. Each time we survive stressful and scary performance situations, we gain confidence and faith in ourselves and our bodies. The more prepared you are, the more you can let go and let your body play your instrument.

Self-Hypnosis Script for Managing Performance Anxiety

Here are some exercises and phrases to help you release anxiety and prepare to play your best. You can do this to prepare for performing, or even right before you perform.

Take a deep breath in with your eyes open and let the breath take 5 counts: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Then hold that breath for 3 counts: 1, 2, 3.

Release that breath and take 5 counts to let it all out: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and close your eyes.

Repeat this 2 more times so you’ve taken 3 deep inhalations and exhalations.

If you are in a place where you can keep your eyes closed, that is best. But as you are familiar with this exercise, you can keep your eyes open.

Say to yourself:

I’m going deep inside to the deepest part of myself, down, down into my inner resources and energy. I’m letting my security and confidence call the shots now from deep down within. (Say this 3 or 4 times.)

Then visualize yourself walking onto the stage and sitting at your drum set. Imagine drumming through a song or two (perhaps choose your more difficult piece).

Alternatively, choose a scene or memory you find very pleasant, calming, and centering. Go into that scene with all your senses. Smell the smells, hear the sounds, see the colors, and feel the air around you. And then while in that scene...

Repeat any of the following suggestions (see below for creating your own) at least 10 times each. As you are more familiar with these positive statements, you can say them fewer times.

I am in the zone, playing with strength and confidence.

I know my music, and it’s all stored completely in my mind and body.

My mind and body work together as one as I drum.

I use any extra energy in my body, any adrenaline, or revving up to play my ass off.

I drum with charisma and guts.

I love this drumming, and it loves me.

I am in the zone, in this moment now, and I remember everything.

When I enter the stage or platform where I will perform, my mind becomes very clear and focused.

A deep concentration comes over me, and I have a clear sense of all the material I will perform.

Any nervousness I experience REMINDS me to sharpen my focus and relax.

I know how to do this.

I remember all the material, so now I can relax and enjoy my own performance

(Make up your own. Never use words like don’t or can’t or never, such as “I never make mistakes.” The subconscious mind hears “make mistakes.”)

When you feel that the statements have centered you, repeat the breathing exercise above, but on the last breath keep your eyes open.

Visualization for Managing Performance Anxiety

Close your eyes and breathe deep, easy breaths using the diaphragm.

Feel the chair or floor beneath you. Allow it to support you. Feel your feet firmly planted on the ground.

Pay attention to where tension resides in your body. Focus on that part, increase the tension, and then breathe into that part.

Let your mind wander, letting thoughts float in and out, and awareness of other sounds in practice rooms.

Choose an audition situation. Imagine the scene. Use all your senses to be there.

Who is there? Where is it? Describe the scene to yourself. What are you going to play? Who are the other players? How do you feel about them?

How do you feel? Are you tense, excited? Do you feel any anxiety? What are the symptoms? Where do you hold the most anxiety?

What thoughts are running through your mind? How critical of yourself are you? What would you like the other players to think of you and your playing? What is at stake for you on this occasion? What are you afraid of?