Athletes, musicians, and speakers overcome performance jitters on a daily basis. You can use many of the same techniques to turn your own presentation nerves into allies, instead of enemies.

Even though many  fear public speaking more than death, giving a presentation is a hurdle the majority of successful people have to clear at some point in their careers. Commandeering your nerves so that they work for you could be the difference between victory and defeat.

Below are strategies from some of the world’s renowned performers who, like the rest of us mortals, get nervous on the big stage.

Being Nervous is Great

No, really. Being nervous is great when you remember what’s causing it! You’re showcasing something you care about, exposing part of who you are, something you’ve learned or created or worked on, to a room full of people. You care about their feedback. So it’s only natural that there would be a certain nervous energy around the presentation.

Randy Johnson, a former pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks who was recently inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, says you should embrace that nervous energy. As he put it, “Tiger Woods, Larry Bird, Wayne Gretzky, a pitcher just before a game, I would imagine they all have nervous energy. But as you perform, the nervous energy dissipates and you start to relax, and you start to do what you do best.”

Practice Being Nervous

Turning that energy to your advantage, as a jolt to heighten your senses, is a technique shared by many who deal with performance jitters. That includes Joshua Bell, world-renowned violinist and Music Director of the acclaimed Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. When asked (by an 8-year-old) how he deals with the nerves ahead of a big concerto debut, he said:

“I still always get nervous, but I have ways of combating that. Before I play a big concert I like to do a practice concert for my friends or parents, which also gets me nervous. It’s good to practice being nervous before your big concert, because then you know how you’re going to feel when you’re going to play.”

Joshua Bell uses his nerves to spark his performance

 

The Audience Is on Your Side

In a sense, a world class baseball pitcher and a concert violinist are also presenters. They step up in front of crowds and display their project, their life’s work, to a judgmental audience. The mood of the departing audience is dependent on the performance.

But unlike a potentially hostile sports crowd, your audience is kind. “They don’t have a lot to gain from seeing you fail,” says Forbes contributor and women’s leadership speaker Selena Rezvani.

A successful presentation likely means that a) you made the impression that you wanted and b) the audience left thinking about something they hadn’t considered before. As a result, oftentimes both presenter and audience member share the same goal.

“Make a mental choice to believe that the audience is on your side,” Rezvani says. “They want to see you succeed. They want to learn something new.”

Control Physical Stress Levels

Considering the presentation from the audience’s point of view can be empowering.  But there’s more at your disposal than mental exercises. The chemical processes behind getting nervous or anxious can be controlled and even reversed through physical exercise.

According to Stress Management Expert Elizabeth Scott, the adrenal gland secretes cortisol into the brain when it gets anxious or stressed. This limits creative and complex thinking, thus hampering your ability to adjust to the room and the audience.

So what’s the best way to burn off cortisol? Scott says it’s exercise. Simply taking a light jog or a brisk walk before the presentation could significantly reduce the physical cause of your nervous symptoms. Have you ever experienced a rush of confidence after completing a workout? A big part of that is due to those changing cortisol levels.

A Healthy Routine

Superstition, according to Inc.com’s Jeff Haden, is a common and often unhealthy response to performance jitters. Haden suggests developing a pre-game routine instead, one that allows you to find your emotional center while also productively preparing:

“Check microphone levels. Run through your presentation at the site to ensure it’s ready to go. Pick things to do that are actually beneficial and do them every time. You’ll find comfort in the familiar—and confidence, too.”

“There are two types of speakers. Those who get nervous and those who are liars.” –Mark Twain

In the end, there’s no substitute for hard work and preparation. Confidence in what you do breeds confidence in presenting what you do to an audience. Yes, putting yourself out there can be nerve-wracking, but through positive thinking and a healthy presentation routine, those nerves can help you succeed.