Are you ready for curtain call?

This weekend I had the pleasure to attend the first annual Performance Psychology in the Arts: Science to Stage conference.  With guest speakers from Juilliard, the Colorado Ballet, Cirque de Soleil and more, the various presenters provided many helpful takeaways and reminders.  Here is a highlight reel of some of the best nuggets.

#1 Myth: Just practicing more will get rid of performance nerves.

Many of us have been told, or assumed, that the best way to eliminate nervousness on stage is to simply practice more.  Afterall, you’ll feel calmer and more confident the more you know the material, right?  Performance Psychologist Noa Kageyama, founder of Bulletproof Musician, would say otherwise.

Practicing trains your general ability to perform a task … but only in similarly calm, controlled situations.  When practicing, you’re most likely wearing comfortable clothes, in a familiar environment with no audience, external pressures or distractions.  You’ve also thoroughly warmed up or rehearsed over and over.  This is NOT the case in performance settings where your attire, environment and schedule are very different.

Therefore, while practicing can perfect your general PHYSICAL ability, it does not train your MIND’S ability to navigate the unique environment and stressors that are present in performance situations.

#2 Are you training to practice OR training to perform?

To piggyback off the last concept, in order to be best prepared in a live performance situation, you must go beyond just training the basic material.  Instead, create opportunities to explicitly practice for the performance, and day of, itself.  This includes:

1. Prepare for the unique schedule, setup and routine that happens on the day of, and just before, the performance.

2. Train for the unique stressors of live performance itself.

#3 It’s important to set Process Goals, not just Outcome Goals

In many sport and performance settings (e.g., team sports, dance), much of what you experience on a daily basis is out of your control.  For example, your dress or uniform, your training schedule, the content of training sessions, the role or event you’re given, etc are all up to your coaches/instructors.

This can cause your self-esteem, worth and confidence to depend on the unpredictable, and sometimes very biased, opinions of those in charge.

Therefore, take some time to set Process Goals.  Unlike Outcome Goals which just focus an on a singular outcome or end event (e.g., getting the role you want), Process Goals center around the actions and habits that YOU can improve and personally control every day.  This may include:

• Improving how you mentally rebound from a mistake.

• Improving your ability to attack difficult pieces or moves.

Track these as well as your other outcome goals to provide a stronger, healthier balance.

#4 SMART vs STAGE goals

Speaking of setting goals, have you heard of STAGE goals?  Most of us have heard of:

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely.  STAGE goals are similar but add a few additional useful steps:

1. Ask yourself, “Why is this goal important to me?  What is its purpose?"

2. Go beyond identifying the goal by also noting the specific, tangible steps that you can take to achieve the goal.

3. Notice what challenges might get in the way of you accomplishing the goal.

4. Identify the tools, strategies, or sources of support that will help you overcome these challenges.

#5 What’s your “Zone of Optimal Performance”?

This is one my personal favorite tools, and one I use with both sport performance and general mental health clients.  In short, it identifies:

• What does being TOO LOW in energy or activation look like for you? (E.g., feeling unmotivated, flat, sleepy)

• What does being TOO HIGH in energy or activation look like for you? (E.g., too anxious, shaky)

• What is your activation SWEET SPOT? (E.g., excited but focused and confident)

Your optimal zone of activation will depend highly on what your sport or performance domain is.  For example, a powerlifter will probably want to feel highly energized or amped up compared to a concert pianist who may need to feel calm and focused.

Where is your sweet spot?  And, does this differ based on your sport, instrument or event?

Expert Level:  To take this one step further, begin to know what types of high and low activation options serve you, as you probably won’t like every option.

For example, let’s say that you want to feel more amped up.  You may notice that certain music does get you amped up, but in a way you don’t like.  It makes you feel highly activated but in an angry or agitated way, instead of excitement (the type of high activation you actually want).  Therefore, knowing which specific types of high and low activation you find helpful, and what gets you there, will allow you to create a more customized mental skills plan.

If you resonate with anything noted above and want to dive deeper or customize it for your own training needs, please feel free to reach out to me HERE.  I’d love to hear from you or if needed, connect you to any resources that may serve your needs.