A few years ago, I published a program on SOTW for stage fright and anxiety that has been downloaded nearly 40,000 times.
After publication, over the years, I received many questions about the emotional and psychological aspects of performing, especially why we can't perform consistently well every time, all the time.
The answer is "distractions".
Imagine a circle. When you compete and/or perform at your very best, the circle is 100 percent complete. However, when distractions get in your way (which includes "thinking", nerves, anxiety, and self-doubt), each distraction removes a slice of the circle until you are performing at only a fraction of your potential.
By far, the most serious distraction is that voice in your head that shows up at the worst possible time to comment on how you're doing, to worry about you making mistakes, wonder what people are thinking about you, and so on.
It doesn't have to be that way.
"Pressure Proof- Mental Training For Competition and Performance" is a program that can be accessed for free.
It explains how to identify distractions and reviews competitively proven, easy-to-do, step-by-step techniques (based upon comprehensive research) that can be done quickly and effectively anywhere, any time- a critical advantage in high-pressure situations.
My many thanks to Harri Rautiainen for his invaluable expertise and care in preparing the layout that also makes this article accessible on tablets and smart phones.
I also thank Johnny Ferreira, Mel Martin, and David Sanborn for their permissions.
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