How Can I Get Over My Stage Fright?

Stage fright can get the best of any performer. Whether you are a novice performer or someone who has been in the business for years, the thought of going up on stage and performing in front of people can yield undesirable results. Being the center of attention is not a natural state of being. Taking yourself out of your comfort zone and putting yourself into the center of attention can cause immense panic. While stage fright cannot always be overcome, there are ways to lessen your anxiety and enjoy your performance.

Instructions

• 1

  Practice feeling confident and positive in the hours leading up to your performance. Do not allow your nerves to take over and ruin your performance. Catch the onset of stage fright early on and remain calm. Tell yourself that it does not matter what other people think of your performance, only that you are performing and their opinion does not matter. Do not allow yourself to succumb to negative judgments that have not occurred.

• 2

  Take deep breaths and do not think about the performance in a negative manner. Visualize the performance going precisely the way you want it to go. Visualize yourself at the top of your game with everything going as smoothly as possible. Do not think about what could go wrong during your performance. Thinking about all of the minor issues that could go wrong will only lead you to visualizing a poor performance. Think positively about your performance and avoid any negative thoughts that might pop up.

• 3

  Forget the audience. A large room of people is intimidating. Forget that the audience exists and allow your work to consume you. Not only will forgetting the audience relieve you of stress but it will also allow you to put yourself completely into your work.

• 4

  Have fun. Stage fright can make you forget that the most important part of a performance is to enjoy your time on stage. When you have a good time with your performance, it will come off as confidence that shows through to the audience. When you allow yourself to forget the technicalities of a performance and stop putting so much pressure on yourself to be perfect, your stage fright will begin to slowly fade into the background as you begin to enjoy yourself.