Conquer Performance Anxiety in 3 Steps

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• Imagine that youre on the brink of a huge
  milestone. Maybe its a major opportunity youve
  been waitingan interview for a dream job, a big
  project at work, a public speaking event. It
  feels like all eyes are on you. Youre sweating
  bullets and your heart is racing. What happens
  when you start? Do you crush it? Or do you freeze
  up?
• If you picked option 2, you may have problems
  with performance anxiety.
• Performance anxiety is a huge fear and it can
  create a major obstacle to achieving your dreams.
  It can happen to anyone when the stakes are high
  enough. When it feels cornered, your brain
  initiates the flight or fight responseand with
  anxiety, flight becomes an extremely popular
  choice. But the last time you want to lose your
  grip is when youre working on something that
  really matters to you.
• As Ive progressed in public speaking, Ive
  worked hard to get over everything from
  butterflies in the stomach to the big panics that
  come before any milestone event. There are 3 big
  tips Im offering you to cut your performance
  anxiety down to size and nail any challenge you
  set your mind to.
• Preparation
• Just like the Boy Scouts always said, being
  prepared is the number one way to beat anxiety.
  Plan ahead. Dont make the actual event the first
  time you talk through a speech. Dont let the
  first big meeting of the project be the one you
  dont have an agenda for.

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• When I have a speaking event, I commit myself to
  rehearsals. I practice the words over and over
  again when Im alone. I do run-throughs in front
  of othersfriends, family, maybe someone helping
  me plan my strategy for the event. I get honest
  feedback and it helps me improve my performance.
• Consider your possible obstacles and write down
  ways you can prepare better to face those
  specific challenges.
• Accountability
• Its surprisingly easy to stop your success
  before you start, no matter how badly you want to
  meet your goal. The tendency toward self-sabotage
  is natural, humanbut it will keep you from
  achieving your dreams. People fail themselves by
  not committing. Theyre halfway in and halfway
  out. No wonder they get scared.
• Go all in. Commit yourself to doing what it
  takes. This means hunkering into the repetitive
  stuff, the parts that seem tedious sometimes.
  When youre just starting out, practice is the
  key to getting over the hump. When you put forth
  the effort, you know in your heart that you did
  everything you could to succeed. Even if you
  fail, putting in the legwork makes it easier for
  you to face the challenge again another day.
• Relaxation
• At the end of the day, anxiety is just
  overwhelming stress. How do we beat stress? By
  learning to relax and let go.

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• You have to calm yourself and silence that inner
  critic predicting your failure. Send yourself
  reassuring thoughtsespecially when your
  performance anxiety fixates on the most unlikely
  scenarios. Take deep breaths to equalize your
  spirit. Do a 5-minute visualization exercise to
  build a picture of your success.
• Dont forget to stretch! Tension builds in the
  arms, shoulders, neck, and back. Do some light
  stretching in these areas before any big event
  and any time you can feel yourself a little more
  wound up than normal. Youll be surprised by the
  difference a little bit of movement can make.
• When it is time for the main event, let your body
  language communicate how youre feeling. Use your
  best smile and your Power Pose to help you feel
  confident in the next phase.
• Performance anxiety doesnt define you. Take the
  reins when youre getting ready for a significant
  challenge. Dont let the fear be stronger than
  your desire to succeed. If you incorporate
  preparation, accountability, and relaxation into
  your plan, youre setting yourself up on the
  pathway to success.
• Source http//possessyoursuccess.com/conquer-perf
  ormance-anxiety-3-steps/