Performance Anxiety: How to Manage Pressure and Perform at Your Best
We have all experienced it at some point. You are about to deliver a big presentation, walk into an important meeting or take the decisive shot in a game and suddenly the pressure hits. Your heart races, your mind blanks and the moment feels bigger than you. This is performance anxiety.
The important thing to know is that performance anxiety does not mean you are not good enough. It is not a sign of weakness or a lack of ability. It is simply your brain and body responding to pressure as if it were a threat. Your nervous system switches into overdrive, preparing you to fight or flee. That reaction may have served us well thousands of years ago, but in a modern world of business, sport and high performance, it can get in the way.
The good news is that performance anxiety can be managed. With the right awareness and strategies, you can take control of it before it takes control of you.
Why Performance Anxiety Happens
Performance anxiety is your stress response kicking in at the wrong time. When we perceive a situation as high stakes, the brain interprets it as danger. Adrenaline floods the system. Your heart beats faster, your breathing changes and blood flow is redirected to prepare for action.
This is useful when genuine danger is present, but when you are standing on a stage, preparing to speak to a client or stepping onto any sporting arena, that same response can leave you shaky, distracted and struggling to focus.
What matters most is recognising that this response is not about a lack of capability. In fact, performance anxiety often shows up because you care deeply about doing well. It is a sign of investment, not inadequacy.
Spotting the Early Signs
Performance anxiety rarely arrives out of nowhere. It usually builds in subtle ways before peaking at the moment you need to deliver. Learning to recognise the early signals is one of the most effective ways to manage it.
Some common signs include:
Restlessness or a jittery feeling before a task.
Difficulty focusing on the bigger picture because your mind latches onto small details.
Racing thoughts or going blank when you try to recall information.
Overthinking every possible outcome or mistake.
Tension in your body, particularly in your shoulders, chest or stomach.
By noticing these signals early, you can interrupt the stress response and reset before it escalates.
Practical Strategies That Work
The key to managing performance anxiety is not about eliminating nerves completely. Some level of arousal is actually helpful, sharpening focus and energy. The aim is to stop anxiety tipping into overwhelm. Here are three science backed strategies that help.
1. Control Your Breathing
When anxiety spikes, the nervous system speeds up. Breathing becomes shallow and rapid, which increases feelings of panic. By deliberately slowing your breathing, you can send a signal to your body that it is safe.
A simple method is box breathing, used by athletes, military personnel and even actors. Inhale for four seconds, hold for four, exhale for four, hold again for four. Repeat for a few cycles. This steady rhythm regulates the nervous system and gives your brain the oxygen it needs to focus.
2. Reframe the Pressure
The words you use in your head matter. When you tell yourself “I have to do this” the task feels like a burden. Reframing it to “I get to do this” changes the meaning. It shifts the moment from being a threat to being a challenge or an opportunity.
This small change in language makes a big difference to how your brain interprets the situation. Challenges trigger motivation and focus. Threats trigger avoidance and fear. Reframing helps keep you in the optimal performance zone.
3. Build a Pre Performance Routine
Consistency creates confidence. One of the most effective ways to manage performance anxiety is to develop a routine that you repeat before high pressure moments.
This routine might include:
A short breathing exercise.
A grounding phrase or mantra.
Visualisation of the performance going well.
A physical ritual such as stretching or shaking out tension.
The content of the routine matters less than the repetition. When you practise it regularly, your brain learns to associate the routine with calm focus. Over time, that routine becomes an anchor you can rely on to settle nerves and prepare for action.
Beyond the Techniques: A Mindset Shift
It is worth remembering that performance anxiety is not evidence of failure. It does not mean you are unprepared or incapable. More often than not, it simply means you care. Caring about your performance is a strength. The challenge is making sure that energy works for you rather than against you.
A helpful mindset shift is to view anxiety as part of the process rather than a barrier. Many elite athletes and performers still feel nervous before they compete or step on stage. The difference is they have learned to work with those feelings rather than fight against them.
The Role of Recovery
Managing performance anxiety is not only about what you do in the moment. Your general wellbeing plays a huge role in how your body responds to pressure. Sleep, nutrition and recovery are crucial.
When you are well rested, your brain regulates stress hormones more effectively. Your patience, focus and emotional balance all improve. This makes it far easier to keep nerves in check when they do appear. By contrast, when you are running on empty, anxiety has more room to take over.
Building Confidence Over Time
Confidence grows with repetition and reflection. Each time you face a high pressure moment and use your tools to manage it, you prove to yourself that you can handle it. That evidence builds a new narrative in your mind.
Instead of “I panic under pressure” it becomes “I know how to manage pressure.” Over time this builds genuine self belief, not just positive thinking.
Working with a Coach
While self help strategies are powerful, working with a coach can accelerate progress. Coaching provides tailored support to identify your triggers, practise coping techniques and build routines that fit your personality and lifestyle.
A coach can also help you step back and see the bigger picture. Sometimes performance anxiety is not about the event itself but about deeper patterns of overthinking, self doubt or perfectionism. Exploring these patterns with guidance can create lasting change.
So…
Performance anxiety is common. It happens to business leaders, athletes, students, professionals and performers of every kind. What matters most is how you respond.
By recognising the signs, practising simple strategies and shifting your mindset, you can turn performance anxiety from a barrier into a source of focus and strength. Nerves mean you care. The skill lies in managing them before they manage you.
