Plus, POWERFUL guided practice
Today I’m going to share the benefits and limitations of mindset changes for peak performance, what I consider a more holistic and resilient approach, as well as a powerful guided practice for helping you get into an ideal state of being for thriving in high pressure, creative performance situations.
There are a lot of performance coaches who talk about mindset — and this is good because achieving peak performance involves more than mere repetition in the practice room. Often issues like cracking under pressure do come down to mindset; if you subconsciously think of performance as a means of avoiding shame and rejection, rather than an opportunity to shine, then you’re probably going to crack when the pressure gets high enough, no matter how much you practice.
But, as powerful as it is, mindset alone isn’t enough. You can gather all the evidence-based psychological tips and tricks you want, but will that really give your performances soul, authenticity, and aliveness? Will that give you a sense of purpose, creative flow, and fulfillment? Will that give you Soulforce?
Mindset is absolutely a part peak performance and of Soulforce, but it’s not sufficient. Instead, you need mindset, body set, soul set, and spirit set — what I call a Whole Being approach. Only with all of these can you truly flourish creatively under pressure.
This is why one of my mottos is Whole Self, Whole Art.
Here’s how to get started:
Think of a time when you cracked under pressure.
Notice how that showed up in all aspects of your being: what were your physical symptoms (sweaty hands, tension, etc.), emotional symptoms (fear, shame, etc.), mental symptoms (thoughts like “I’m not good enough,” etc.), and spiritual symptoms (disconnection from a larger purpose or universal aspect of being like Love or Truth). Share yours in the comments below
Now ask yourself how you’d like to show up, instead. Physically (relax and fluid, etc.), emotionally (calm and joyful, etc.), mentally (focused and empowered, etc.), and spiritually (the joy of knowing you’re doing what you were born for, etc.). Share yours in the comments below
Finally, do the following “polarity meditation” to open all aspects of your being to these more ideal experiences.
Close your eyes and say to yourself, “When I think about performing, I experience [unwanted symptoms], but I’d rather experience [ideal symptoms].” Pause and let yourself feel each experience in your body; if you don’t feel it in your body, then it’s merely a mindset or intellectual exercise and won’t become real for you. The body is where things become real. Repeat several times. For simplicity, choose one set of symptoms at a time.
With practice, and perhaps more quickly than you might imagine, you’ll open yourself to your ideal performance experience. And not just mentally, but at ALL levels of your being.
This will produce a long-lasting, resilient change in your performance experience that will allow you to achieve peak performances that have the effortlessness, flair, depth, and aliveness that your creative soul (and that of your audience members) most longs for.
Let me know how this goes for you in the comments below! And if you want to know where ideas like this got their start, check out my book Soulforce: How to discover your artistic purpose, create more freely, and make art that matters.
