Performance anxiety — stay calm and think clearly under pressure
Performance anxiety is a learned stress response that spikes before or during high-stakes moments (presentations, interviews, leadership visibility). The goal isn’t to “get rid of nerves” — it’s to calm the body fast, reduce the threat response, and build a repeatable plan so you can speak, decide, and perform with steady confidence.
Does this sound like you?
- Your mind goes blank when you’re “on the spot”
- Racing heart, shaky voice, breathlessness
- Over-preparing, procrastinating, or avoiding
- You seem confident externally but feel activated internally
Why it happens
Your nervous system treats the situation as danger (judgement, failure, exposure). That triggers fight/flight/freeze. We work with the body first so the brain can follow.
What helps this week
90-second downshift
slow exhale focus (longer out-breath than in-breath)
Pre-performance script
3 bullet points only (reduce cognitive load)
Trigger rehearsal
practise 60 seconds of the scary part, not the whole thing
How I help
Identify the exact fear pattern
(where it starts, what it does, what reinforces it)
Regulation tools
you can use mid-meeting
Targeted change work
to update the threat response
Practical performance plan
you can repeat
Best next step
You don't have to figure this out alone. Let's see if we're a good fit.
Common Questions
Recommended Programme
Based on these symptoms, we recommend our Calm Under Pressure track.
View Programme DetailsQuick Links
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