5 Tips to Bring Your A Game Like an Athlete
Whether it’s meetings with current bosses, investors, potential new clients, board members, dream job supervisors, or presentations in front of 15 or 1500—at some point or another, we (women in business) will probably be forced out of our comfort zones, gather up all of our confidence, and have to rock some important meetings. No problem. We got this.
Of course we will do our due diligence when getting ready for these interviews, meetings or presentations. We will research, prep and compile notes. We will practice and follow up. Yet, as anyone who’s ever faced down an important meeting can attest, it’s all too easy for nerves to overshadow expertise. For timidness to replace confidence. For some of us, the closer it gets to the big day, the more distant we may feel from the self-assured bosses we are in our everyday lives.
And while you may feel the mental and emotional drain as a result of these thoughts, the impact can often be felt physically as well—loss of sleep, loss of appetite, jitters, exhaustion, etc. Additionally, for some of us, these thoughts can catch us off guard and leave us feeling confused and deflated. For others, it may be a constant element in the lead up to the meeting itself. And while these feelings may be anticipated, it does not lessen the negative impact. In fact, the anticipation of these feelings may bring on even more anxiety.
The good news, as is usually the case, you are absolutely not alone if you have ever experienced this situation. From movie stars, to musicians, to world class athletes, to CEOs of Fortune 500 companies and everyone in between—you can find examples of someone that has shared feelings of anxiety or loss of confidence before an important meeting. Adele once told Rolling Stone in an interview, “One show in Amsterdam, I was so nervous I escaped out the fire exit.” So while we may not all be able to sing like Adele, we most definitely can give a great presentation, ask for a promotion, or secure a new investor. Big or small, we own it.
So when you are looking at your calendar and counting down the days till your big meeting— take a page from the athlete’s handbook, and implement a pre-game routine that will keep you cool under pressure and boost your confidence. Darlene Price, president of Well Said, Inc. and author of Well Said! Presentations and Conversations That Get Results says instead of trying to lose the pre-meeting butterflies, you should aim to leverage them the way an athlete does. "The adrenaline surge can fuel your body with the energy and enthusiasm necessary for a great performance," she explains. Developing a pre-meeting routine not only helps you to take control of your feelings, but it can help to limit your distractions and focus your attention. Whether your routine is simple or more involved, having one will prepare you mentally, emotionally and physically. Find what calms you, motivates you or provides you with the direct focus that helps you perform your best.
Not sure where to start? Give these confidence boosting strategies a try:
Pump Up the Jams. It’s no secret that athletes use music to get themselves ready to play (think of all the players you’ve seen arriving to stadiums with headphones, stadiums pumping music, etc). Many athletes use music in diverse ways in order to achieve a certain level of focus and concentration before a game or competition. Music activates the amygdala, which is the section of the brain that processes emotions. Corianne Rogalsky, an assistant professor of speech and hearing science at Arizona State University, said, “When the amygdala is active it increases our ability to consolidate memories, which is why when we hear that emotional song before the big game…..you sort of trigger emotionally that part of your brain.” Many athletes talk about specific events that happen to them. Between making a huge and impactful play, to winning a Grand Slam, a song is often attached to that memory.
Music enables us to put aside outside distractions in order to concentrate and envision what we want to accomplish. Start by creating a playlist full of songs with lyrics that inspire you, make you feel like superwoman or even remind you of a past experience when you felt like you did an amazing job. From Bach to Beyoncé, there is no shortage to finding your perfect playlist. Need help? Check these out from the Bleacher Report.
Practice positive self-talk. Keep all talk before a meeting or presentation positive so that you feel good about yourself and your performance before beginning. Affirm the hard work you’ve done to get here. The experts in sports psychology agree. “They've proven that an athlete's positive self-talk prior to and during a performance consistently creates a higher win rate," Price says. What's more, research suggests that using your first name or the pronoun "you" instead of "I" can make it easier to deal with stressful experiences. In the minutes leading up to your meeting, say over and over within yourself, "You are a dynamic speaker!" "You are enthusiastic and engaging!" "You are prepared and confident!" If you need reminders, write them down and say them out loud to yourself. "Your words will create a self-fulling prophecy," says Price.
Focus on your breathing. Your breathing can affect your mind and your body. Intensifying your breathing can also help you stay more focused and "in the zone." Don't underestimate the power of a long, slow, deep breath. In the moments leading up to your meeting, breathe deeply and deliberately. It can even help during a presentation. If you find yourself losing steam, take a few hard exhales. This can help get you back on track.
Visualize It. Visualization is a technique which can help you achieve personal goals. At its simplest, visualization is imagining an action or situation in the first person, and seeing it through to a successful outcome. Elite athletes use this technique to cultivate a heightened state of mental awareness, which has been shown to boost confidence and overall well-being, and ultimately enhance performance. Same goes for us. If we really want something to come to fruition, then we have to believe it and see it. Land that job. Secure a new client. Present on television. Whatever it is, we have to see it through, even if it’s just in our minds when we are starting out. When using visualization, create as much depth as possible. Imagine what your senses are experiencing, what your mind is thinking, and how you feel. If negative thoughts creep in, sweep them away, and replace them with a detailed specific image.
Move Your Body. Take a Walk. Ride a bike. Take the stairs. Lift weights. Not only is staying active an important part of women’s daily mental and physical health*, but it can also help us when it comes to getting us into the right mindset for important meetings. Think of this as your warm-up before the big game. Physical activity, such as brisk walking, can quickly help.
Reduce stress and tension
Increase energy levels
Improve your mood, cognition, memory and sleep
*Whether you are an avid exerciser or a novice, join the thousands of women this Wednesday, September 28th as we come together to observe National Women’s Health and Fitness Day. Click here for more information.