On some level, we all know we are capable of more. More inspired performances. More poise in high-pressure auditions. Fewer of those panicky, fear-ridden, hanging-on-for-dear-life-with-fingers-crossed performances we dread so much.

We know we can perform so much better because once in a blue moon, we do. We have one of those incredible peak performance experiences that provide a tantalizing glimpse of our potential. Aside from those rare moments, we also know what we sound like in the privacy of our practice room, and in the warm-up room minutes before our performance.



What holds us back?

So why are our experiences on-stage so often characterized by cold shaky hands, dry mouth, racing thoughts, doubts and fears, what-if’s, and the horrible feeling that we have no real control over our performance? In the moment, it can be rather chaotic, and feel like a million different things all at once.

Afterwards, we bombard ourselves with a series of questions. Did I practice enough? Did I practice the right things? Am I even practicing the right way? Should I try warming my hands under warm water next time? Or a hair dryer? Should I eat more bananas? Sleep more the night before? Sleep less? Try beta blockers? Do I just need to suck it up and perform more often? Is there something wrong with me? Why does everyone else seem fine? Am I just not cut out for this? Will things ever get any better?

Fortunately, it’s not a million different things.

Just seven.

Seven skills to be more precise. And they make all the difference in the world.

You might be thinking that this sounds a little too simplistic, too neat and tidy, too…formulaic. Seriously, just seven? The same seven for everyone?



Core principles

Leonardo da Vinci is credited with the phrase “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Indeed, when you take a closer look around, you begin to see that expertise in most (if not all) fields comes not by digesting millions of isolated facts, but by seeing and grasping the overarching set of core principles which govern that field. Principles which organize all the seemingly unrelated details into a simple, yet sophisticated model of how things work.

When we step out on stage into the bright lights, our minds and bodies respond in patterned ways. Though on the surface it may appear that a performer’s response to the demands of high-pressure situations is unique from performer to performer and performance to performance, time and again it all keeps coming back to some combination of the same seven skills. Skills like energy regulation and attentional control that can be learned, practiced, and – with a little work – turned into strengths.



Start performing up to your abilities

Master these skills and you will no longer be the same performer you are today. Your experience of performing will change. How you feel about performing will change. In fact, you can’t not change. Together, these skills comprise a mental framework that is the hallmark of performers who know how to rise to the occasion and thrive in high-stakes auditions. Performers who aren’t reliant on conditions being ideal in order to play their best. Performers who can walk off-stage with the satisfaction of knowing that their performance represented the best of what they have to offer.

Sound a bit too good to be true? Well, don’t bet against yourself just yet. The world needs more dynamic, compelling, and remarkable artists, and we created this site so that you’d have the tools to become one.

If you are tired of playing below your abilities on stage, we’d love to share with you what we’ve learned about performing optimally under pressure. Click the red “Coaching Options” button to learn more about the different ways in which we might be able to help.