| How to Beat Stage Fright
First, remember that you’re not alone! Everyone experiences stage fright at some point in their career. It’s completely normal and shows that you’re in touch with your emotions, so don’t beat yourself up about it. If someone claims they’ve never felt stage fright, they are probably psychotic.
Two Key Aspects of Stage Fright - The Waiting Period: The anticipation before you go on stage can be nerve-wracking.
- Summoning the Courage: Finding the bravery to actually step onto the stage.
Healthy Distractions Find a technique or "fright hack" that relaxes you. When I was performing, I often visited a chess parlor to play speed chess, which helped me focus on the game rather than my nerves. If a chess parlor isn’t accessible, consider downloading a game app that captures your full attention to distract you.
Self-Hypnosis Technique I highly recommend EMO (Emotional Freedom Technique) as a powerful self-hypnosis method. It takes just 3-4 minutes to do and can significantly lower your blood pressure without any negative side effects. It's easy to learn and very effective.
Avoiding Substances I strongly advise against drinking alcohol before your performance. It can lead to bad habits, and club owners remember comedians who request it. If you feel the need to relax with substances, seek healthier alternatives instead.
Visualization Once you’ve distracted yourself, focus on your performance. Visualize yourself getting laughs and having fun. Think about a bit that went exceptionally well and let that positive energy fuel you.
Key Rules to Remember
Rule #1: Mistakes Are Okay! Embrace mistakes; they can often lead to bigger laughs than your planned material. Acknowledge them and have fun with it. Mistakes can help you develop new bits and improve existing ones. Remember, stand-up comedy is much less rigid than figure skating or classical music.
Rule #2: Be Prepared. Fully memorize your set and practice it multiple times. Confidence in your material makes managing performance anxiety much easier. The best remedy for stage fright is consistent practice.
Rule #3: Commit 100% to Your Bits. Bring passion and emotion to your material. Care deeply about what you’re saying. If you’re fully invested, you won’t have time to feel nervous. Plus, if you flub a line, your commitment will make it even funnier.
Rule #4: Find a Friendly Face. Look for one person in the audience who is smiling and listening attentively. Focusing on that positive presence can help you build confidence as you start your routine.
Final Thoughts Remember, this isn’t life or death. Once you conquer this initial fear, your friends will treat you like a superhero. Stand-up gets easier the more you practice. Even seasoned pros felt nervous at the beginning of their careers, but they’ve overcome it.
Takeaway Stage fright can be conquered with dedicated practice and effective relaxation techniques.
Would love your feedback on these tips as I plan to implement them weekly.
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