Dealing With Nerves?

Without you being specific about the the nature of the performance I can only make a wild guess but speaking as a musician with a tremendous tendency to get nerves/stage fright I'd say: Preparation, and in particular, visualisation.

 

Oh yes! I have really bad anxiety. I've learned to focus on breathing. Counting each inhale and exhale. Making sure that I drown out the room around me and just focus. It really helps me calm down. Most people would never know how nervous I am and it doesn't show when I'm standing up speaking in front of a group. Also saying my abc's backwards helps. Anything that you can focus on. Pick a spot in the room and count the things around it. Etc... it works!

 

My goodness! I'd have never have thought it of you! You always look and seem so confidant,smiley and self assured.

In your position i'd have focussed my eyes on one spot on the back wall until i got into the swing of things and then imagined the audience nekkid on the loo.....nobody could make me feel nervous when i imagine them like that

Unless it was at a darts competition of course!

 

Poor ol' Incs. I get anxiety too, mate. :frown1:

Helpful section in this book which might be worth looking at?

 

I assume we're talking about some sort of musical performance?
I'm a musician, and the 3 years of acting classes I took helped me tremendously in dealing with stage fright. Specifically - the concept of the "fourth wall":
Fourth wall - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

in situations where nerves seem to get the best of you,
it has been my experience that the focus has been entirely
on SELF.
as it turns out....and i have had many people tell me this....
"its not about YOU. no one gives a shit about YOU. you are here
to do a job and do what you can. as long as you focus on the JOB
then you will be okay.".
kid you not.
after many years of thinking about this seemingly cruel statement,
i have come to realize its true.
its not about me. its not about me being nervous.
its not about my concern about performing well.
its just not about ME.
SO - if you are able to make sense of that idea and wrap your head
around that and do what you need to do and focus on what it is you
need to do, i think you will do it better. take yourself out of the equation
and get to it.
best of luck to you.