The Secret to Performing Under Pressure (Without the Nerves)

“Zen, why don’t you get nervous?!” ⚡ 😱

People often ask me in the greenroom, before the stage.

I do get nervous.

But I’ve performed under pressure, under the spotlight, for over three decades, and I’ve learnt this:

Before every performance,

I 'un-centre' myself.

I stop making it about me: my excellence, my reputation, my “career moment”.

I put the focus where it belongs:

on the story, the music, the audience.

The moment when it is about proving myself,

tension creeps in, expression tightens, and connection fades.

It becomes 'me, me, me'.

The same happens in business pitches, leadership moments, job interviews, even relationships.

Before you need to show up on your next 'stage', try this:

🌻 Asking: What do they need right now? instead of How do I look?

🌻 Focusing: on serving, not proving.

🌻 Showing: up to connect, not to perfect.

Performance psychology is clear:

when the purpose is bigger than you, you get bigger too.

🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻

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