Tested tips and tricks on feeling less anxious before and during a performance

Dry mouth, nausea, clammy and shaking hands. Are you sick? Not exactly. You have stage fright. Performing in front of an audience can be scary. Whether you’re acting in a play, giving a speech, or presenting a slide show, the pre-performance jitters can creep up on you. But you’re not alone. Every performer experiences stage fright at least once in their lives, and they’ve come up with plenty of tips and tricks to help you overcome it. After reading our article, you’ll know how to get in front of that audience feeling a million times better!

Things You Should Know

  • Move your body to shake off those nerves by going for a walk, dancing around, or shimming your body before you step on stage.
  • Make time in your performance day routine to relax and sit with your thoughts.
  • Kick the fear of failure to the curb by practicing every day by yourself or in front of a rehearsal audience.
1

Exercise and move your body.

  1. When you're physically active, your body releases endorphins. These happy hormones help raise your confidence, lower stress, and put you in a great mood.[1] Try doing at least 30 minutes of exercise before you step in front of an audience.
    • Take a walk around the block or theater before the doors open.
    • Do yoga the morning of your performance to ease your mind and stretch your body.
    • Dance backstage to release any built-up energy.
    • Try doing power poses before you walk on stage. For instance, place your hands on your hips with your chest out like Wonder Woman.
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2

Watch a funny video.

  1. Sometimes, all you need to loosen up is a good laugh. Put on your favorite movie or a funny comedy sketch while you’re getting ready to help you relax. Believe it or not, laughter actually helps you destress and reduce anxiety.[2] Focus on what’s playing rather than worrying about the performance, and let out all of those giggles.
    • Try watching a motivational speech to help you feel more confident.
    • Make sure to watch your funny video before doing your makeup—tears of laughter don’t pair well with mascara.
4

Shake out your jitters.

  1. Flap your arms and legs around before you hop on stage. Believe it or not, a little wiggle before you start your performance or presentation can make a big difference. Those butterflies in your stomach and your racing pulse come from built-up nerves and stress.[4] Many performers find that shimmying their bodies before they step on stage helps them relax and physically shake away their nerves.
    • Try playing the shake-out game backstage. Shake a limb 16 times, then move onto another, and then another. Repeat for a count of 8, 4, 2, and 1.[5]
6

Set yourself a timer.

  1. Tell yourself you’re only allowed to be nervous for a certain amount of time. It may sound silly, but giving yourself the time to be nervous can help you overcome your stage fright. Sit with those scared or jittery feelings for 30 minutes or an hour.[7] Then, when the allotted time is up, stand up, brush it off, and say, “I got this!”[8]
    • This tip doesn’t work for everyone, and that’s okay.
    • The goal isn’t to feel 100% stage fright free at the end of your nervous time; it’s to give yourself space to focus on what you feel so you can redirect your attention to other things more easily.
8

Tell yourself positive aspirations.

  1. Before you walk on stage, give yourself an encouraging word. Self-doubt can be a big mood dampener (not to mention a confidence crusher). Silence those anxious and intrusive thoughts with positive, self-affirming ones to feel empowered.[10] Whisper them while you get ready or scream them into the empty theater before the audience arrives. Here are some uplifting mantras you can try:
    • I am capable of achieving greatness.
    • I can and will succeed.
    • I believe in myself.
    • I can achieve whatever I set my mind to.
    • I am strong, confident, and powerful.
9

Think of the audience as friends.

  1. Pretend you’re presenting to your best friend, not a room full of strangers. One of the many causes of stage fright is the fear of failure. Screwing up in front of a live audience? Awful. Screwing up in front of your best friends? Laughable! Imagining that you’re speaking in front of people you love can help you feel more at ease and lessen those performance jitters.
    • Make your vision a reality by asking a friend to sit in the front row. This way, you can look to them whenever the nerves rise.[11]
    • If making eye contact with the audience makes you more nervous, no worries! Stare over their heads at a spot on the wall—they won’t know the difference.
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10

Rehearse every day.

  1. Silence thoughts of failure with practice, practice, practice! The best way to overcome stage fright is to make sure you know your routine, speech, or lines by heart. Stage fright is a mixture of fearing failure and self-doubt. By rehearsing every day leading up to the performance, you can nip that fear in the bud.[12]
    • Record yourself while you’re practicing and watch or listen to it back to see where you can improve. This can help you be more confident, as you’ll know exactly what you’ll look and sound like.
    • Time your presentation or speech as you practice so you know if you need to slow down or speed up beforehand.
    • Practice in front of a pretend audience full of friends and family members.
    • Ask those you practice in front of how you did to get feedback before your big day.
11

Stick to a routine.

  1. Sometimes, a set schedule or ritual can help you feel more at ease. Plan out the day of your performance or presentation. What time will you wake up? What will you eat? How will you dress? When should you leave for the venue? Think about what will help you succeed and execute it.[13]
    • Aim to get to where you’re performing, speaking, or presenting earlier. The earlier you arrive at the venue, the more time you’ll have to set up and get comfortable.
    • Try wearing something to bring you luck, like a bracelet or mismatched socks.
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12

Visualize your success.

Expert Q&A

  • Question
    I'm worried that everyone will know I'm nervous. What should I do?
    Ben Whitehair
    Ben Whitehair
    Acting Coach
    Ben Whitehair is a Social Media Expert and the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of TSMA Consulting. With over a decade of experience in the social media space, he specializes in leveraging social media for business and building relationships. He also focuses on social media’s impact on the entertainment industry. Ben graduated summa cum laude from The University of Colorado at Boulder with BAs in Theatre and Political Science as well as a Leadership Certificate. In addition to his work as CIO, Ben is a certified business and mindset coach and National Board Member of SAG-AFTRA. He is also a successful entrepreneur as the Co-Founder of Working.Actor, the premier business academy and coaching community for actors.
    Ben Whitehair
    Acting Coach
    Expert Answer
    Bill Hader talks about how he used to be so nervous he would throw up every single time before he went on Saturday Night Live. But if you watch him, you don't think, "Oh, I bet he was so nervous." It's actually possible to feel nervous and have the audience not experience that. They might see you as very confident, even if inside you're freaking out.
  • Question
    What can I do before an acting performance to calm down?
    Ben Whitehair
    Ben Whitehair
    Acting Coach
    Ben Whitehair is a Social Media Expert and the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of TSMA Consulting. With over a decade of experience in the social media space, he specializes in leveraging social media for business and building relationships. He also focuses on social media’s impact on the entertainment industry. Ben graduated summa cum laude from The University of Colorado at Boulder with BAs in Theatre and Political Science as well as a Leadership Certificate. In addition to his work as CIO, Ben is a certified business and mindset coach and National Board Member of SAG-AFTRA. He is also a successful entrepreneur as the Co-Founder of Working.Actor, the premier business academy and coaching community for actors.
    Ben Whitehair
    Acting Coach
    Expert Answer
    I'm a big fan of mantras for meditation. The exact mantra will be based on the individual, but having a personal mantra that you can repeat to yourself before going on stage or camera can be really helpful.
  • Question
    How can I make my nerves completely go away before going on stage?
    Ben Whitehair
    Ben Whitehair
    Acting Coach
    Ben Whitehair is a Social Media Expert and the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of TSMA Consulting. With over a decade of experience in the social media space, he specializes in leveraging social media for business and building relationships. He also focuses on social media’s impact on the entertainment industry. Ben graduated summa cum laude from The University of Colorado at Boulder with BAs in Theatre and Political Science as well as a Leadership Certificate. In addition to his work as CIO, Ben is a certified business and mindset coach and National Board Member of SAG-AFTRA. He is also a successful entrepreneur as the Co-Founder of Working.Actor, the premier business academy and coaching community for actors.
    Ben Whitehair
    Acting Coach
    Expert Answer
    See if you can channel that nervous energy somewhere as opposed to trying to make it go away, which generally doesn't work. What we resist persists. If you're just trying to make your nerves go away, that may not be as effective as embracing your nervousness and channeling it into your performance.
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About This Article

Ben Whitehair
Co-authored by:
Acting Coach
This article was co-authored by Ben Whitehair and by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano. Ben Whitehair is a Social Media Expert and the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of TSMA Consulting. With over a decade of experience in the social media space, he specializes in leveraging social media for business and building relationships. He also focuses on social media’s impact on the entertainment industry. Ben graduated summa cum laude from The University of Colorado at Boulder with BAs in Theatre and Political Science as well as a Leadership Certificate. In addition to his work as CIO, Ben is a certified business and mindset coach and National Board Member of SAG-AFTRA. He is also a successful entrepreneur as the Co-Founder of Working.Actor, the premier business academy and coaching community for actors. This article has been viewed 1,361,975 times.
8 votes - 88%
Co-authors: 183
Updated: February 15, 2023
Views: 1,361,975
Categories: Featured Articles | Anxiety

Medical Disclaimer

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

Article SummaryX

To overcome stage fright, try exercising for 30 minutes before your performance, which can release tension and help you feel less nervous. You can also try meditating for 15-20 minutes to relax your body and calm any racing thoughts you're having. Even just chewing gum, stretching, or humming right before your performance can relieve tension and steady your voice. To help with any nervous feelings in your stomach, try eating a banana before you go on stage, which can help calm your stomach without making you feel full. To learn how to overcome anxiety for a speech or presentation, scroll down!

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