Why Being Nervous Is a Sign You’re on the Right Path

Wouldn’t it be great if you knew how to stop being nervous?

Being nervous or feeling anxious is ridiculously common; it happens to all of us.

But imagine you walk into a meeting and pitch your business to a potential client with ease.

You step on stage before a packed audience without breaking a sweat.

You are a fearless machine crushing it at life!

Sounds fun, right?

It is!

There’s just one problem.

If you want those things, you can’t stop being nervous.

Why?

• Being nervous comes with all great accomplishments.
• Being nervous is a sign you are on the right path.
• Being nervous grows you into a better version of yourself.

Keep reading for great advice on how to stop being nervous.

You’re human, and getting nervous is a hardwired response

Trying to stop it is like trying to stop breathing.

If you stop breathing, you will die.

If you stop being nervous, your dream will die.

Great entrepreneurs, visionaries, and high achievers all experience trepidation.

“I came to realize long ago that I can barely sleep the night before presentations; it doesn’t matter how many times I do them.”— Tim Ferris

You must not run from the nervousness but embrace it.

Accept that it’s going to be there.

Seth Godin talks about this in his audio book, Leap First.

He compares it to a marathon runner:

“Everyone in the marathon gets tired. They don’t say, I’m going to be able to run without getting tired.”

Anyone striving to be the best version of themselves gets nervous.

They don’t say, “I can accomplish my goals without getting nervous.”

You can’t run from worry like the runner can’t escape tiredness.

Both are expected.

Transform your nervousness

Now it’s time to manage being nervous.

Or better yet, transform it.

See nervousness for the sign that it is.

Seth goes on to call nervousness “tension.”

He explains we want to feel that tension because it’s a sign we are doing something that might not work.

This is how we do work that matters.

Don’t stop feeling nervous.

Instead, feel it and say:

“This is good; this means I made a decision, this means I took a chance, this means I’m pushing forward.”

So how can you begin to re-wire your brain to say “Nervous = Good”?

Here are a few steps to stop being nervous

1. Define what’s on the other side of nervousness

Driving into a hurricane and stepping on stage for a public speech trigger the same “fight or flight” response.

You get nervous because of the perceived danger – but only one of these presents an actual danger.

On one side of the hurricane is a tragedy.

Excite, growth, fulfillment, and success are the other side of giving a speech.

Define what’s on the other side of nervousness, and you will see when your fear is warranted or a limiting illusion.

2. Accept that you might fail.

“But Lou,” you might say, “I understand on the other side of being nervous is success, but there is also failure.”

Transformational Speaker and Comedian Kyle Cease has a sign outside his workshops that reads, “I hope I screw this up.”

He points out that when you become okay with failing, it frees you from nervousness.

It allows you to be fully present in the moment, which helps you stop being nervous.

It brings your consciousness to a level that can make a bigger impact and connection.

Accept that things might not go how you hoped.

Failure is nothing but a stepping stone to success.

It’s not “bad.”

Let the thought of it go, and watch your nervousness go with it.

3. Celebrate when you feel nervous

There’s nothing like a celebration to reinforce to your mind that “this is good.”

If you feel nervous the night before a presentation, set aside 15 minutes to celebrate.

Call it your “Nervousness Ritual”.

Phone a friend and say, “Hey.

I’m scared s***less of making a fool of myself tomorrow.

But how amazing is it that I have the chance to?”

Make a journal entry with positivity each time you feel worried.

“I’m happy I feel nervous right now because I know I’m pushing myself.”

Create a motivating “nervousness playlist” with songs about reaching your goals that make you feel good.

Meditate while listening.

Have a special “Nervous Celebration Drink”.

I don’t recommend alcohol, but something simple like a special tea or high-quality mineral water.

Make it a game to have this drink as much as possible because it means you’re living on your edge.

Make it fun! Celebrate nervousness in your own way.

4. How to stop being nervous? Laugh!

“You see, with me, when I’m nervous, I smile and laugh”— Paula Radcliffe

Laughter takes a stab at nervousness right in the face.

It releases tension and makes you NOT take yourself so seriously.

When the uneasy feeling comes, acknowledge it and then laugh at it.

“I am petrified right now, and it’s funny.”

Laugh at the thought of failing or at the possibility of succeeding.

Laugh because it makes you feel good, and perform better when you feel good.

You connect with people when you feel good, and you get out of your head and into your heart.

5. Be curious instead of nervous

The true trick on how to stop being nervous is to transform the meaning you give it.

Mike Rowe, the actor best known for his work on Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs, spent time in countless new circumstances, meeting entrepreneurs and learning new skills.

He credits his curiosity as the key to success in new situations. He says:

“People who are curious have a willingness to fail and do not care how they’re perceived.

It’s very liberating”

When you’re curious about things, you approach them like an eager, young child.

You look at new situations with eyes wide open.

Tap back into your inner child and choose curiosity over nervousness.

6. Be conscious of your breathing

When you get worried, your breathing tends to become shallow.

A shallow breath increases your heartbeat and adds to your nervousness.

Become aware of your breathing in these situations to ease the feeling and release those anxious thoughts.

Next time, before trying something new, find a place to close your eyes and focus on long, slow breaths.

If you can’t find a quiet place, just do it wherever you are.

By becoming conscious of your breathing, you will feel more capable of putting yourself out there and having fun in new situations.

Still interested in how to stop being nervous?

I hope you now can see apprehension for the compass that it is.

It’s no longer something to run away from.

Continue putting yourself in new situations.

Seek to have more experiences that make you nervous.

Transform what nervousness means and watch your growth and success take flight!

What do you do when you feel nervous?

Tell us in the comment section!