The Mindful Performer Prologue

Welcome to The Mindful Performer!

Throughout this blog, I will be sharing my thoughts and insights, based on the latest performance psychology research, to inspire and enable your peak performance.  Whether you are a singer, instrumentalist, actor, dancer or public speaker a life in performance is both thrilling and rewarding, but it can also be a great challenge, marred with regular rejection, scrutiny, crippling challenges to self esteem, self-doubt and gruelling schedules. In this modern, competitive world, where there is always someone else to take your place and where bottom lines regularly trump the nurturing of talent, we need to address the limiting beliefs and thoughts that hold us back, and recognise the capacity of our brains to empower rather than derail us.  If we don't, we are likely to be left behind.

What are these limiting thoughts? 

I remember experiencing each and every one of these thoughts myself and I've heard clients and colleagues express them over and over again.  The problem is, with a mind cluttered with so many negative thoughts - how can anyone perform at their best, let alone enjoy the experience!?

It doesn't have to be this way!

This is where performance coaching comes in:

• If you are struggling with self doubts about your ability, 
  
• If you're constantly comparing yourself to others or wondering what other people are thinking, 
• If your performances and auditions are not as good as your practice room efforts,
• If the critic in your head is getting more air time than you are,

You need to know that:

• performance anxiety is not an unmanageable byproduct of performance that must be endured.  
• you don't have to listen to the self-limiting voice which tells you that you are not good enough.
• there are mental skills you can learn to overcome your nerves, critics, distractions and memory lapses.

and:

• with the right mental attitude, there is no limit to your potential!

Performance coaching teaches you how to focus your attention, develop your self-confidence, create realisable goals, reframe your limiting beliefs and understand the habits which are holding you back, so that your thoughts can start to look like this:

and you can focus on performing to the best of your ability, every time!

I want more of that!

In the posts that will follow, I'll be sharing some of the discoveries I've made through my research into the field (starting with the neuroscience that underpins my approach), but I'd also like to hear from you; to know what challenges you face, what you would like addressed and, hopefully, to hear that you have been able to apply some of these ideas, and have seen them work for you!  

If you’d like to learn more you can sign up to receive blog posts direct to your email.  Alternatively, please click the little ‘like’ symbol below.  Or, if you're ready to tackle your inhibitions to performance head on, contact me to discuss your options and arrange an appointment.