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Back to this week's issue ...
The year is 2018 and it's the month of September.
I'm at the main gate of a mysterious building in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan.
Security protocol is foolproof and we are being searched as if we are about to enter the Langley headquarters of CIA.
But we are here to appear in an interview for the Fulbright scholarship for a PhD degree in the U.S.
It's about 9 a.m.
I'm done with all the security checks and now sitting in a waiting room along with 30+ other candidates.
The room is well air-conditioned and yet I'm sweating profusely.
My sweaty armpits are exposing the intense worry and nervousness I'm going through and ... it's embarrassing.
But the good news is ...
I'm not alone.
Others are feeling it too.
I still have about 3 hours before my turn and that's not good news...
3 hours is a long time to go through this stress and anxiety.
Because there's A LOT at stake today ...
My future depends on this interview.
If I don't get this scholarship, I would be struggling indefinitely at my current job which I hate beyond words.
So, I can't mess this up ... It's kinda like a do-or-die situation going on here.
Fast forward 3 hours of intense pressure and worry, finally my name is called.
Anxiety and nervousness are at absolute peak levels.
A lot could go wrong today ...
My mind could go blank and I might forget everything I prepared for the interview.
My voice might tremble and that might trigger my social and speaking anxieties and lead to panic attacks.
I am also getting flashbacks of my past failed interviews in which panelists exposed my technical weaknesses and made me feel worthless and got me thinking my engineering degree should be burned right after the interview.
My heart is now beating louder and louder ... dug ... dug dug... dug dug ...
I enter the interview room and see 3 friendly and welcoming faces on the interview panel, which is not normal for me.
I have never seen friendly faces in an interview before.
... I hope it's a good sign.
All my senses are heightened now ... my hearing, my vision, my focus.
Strangely, my brain is supercharged, and my memory is razor-sharp now ...
Whatever I prepared for this interview appears right in front of my eyes.
I'm feeling alert and ready.
Panelists started asking questions left and right and much to my surprise I'm hitting them out of the park.
I think today I have unlocked a new level of my brain power ...
I'm at my absolute best performance level.
By the way, this is the first time I am being interviewed in English and given my childhood trauma with English speaking it's a big deal to me that I am doing better than expected.
I left the interview room fully confident that I got it ... and it turns out I did get the scholarship.
.
.
.
The other day, I did some reflection on this interview ...
And came to know that what I experienced was none other than a Challenge Response of stress.
In the challenge response, your sympathetic nervous system makes your body mobilize more energy.
Your breathing deepens and your heart rate speeds up to help you rise to the challenge ahead of you.
Sugar and fats are dumped into your bloodstream and converted into fuel for supply to muscles and brain which then function at peak performance levels.
In short, your body prepares you for something that is both meaningful and important to you.
Since there's a lot at stake, your mind and body help you unlock your superpowers such as ...
Ability to think fast,
Ability to focus without getting distracted,
Heightened sense of hearing and vision and
Unreal muscular strength.
Ever heard of this true story in which two teenage girls from Oregon, U.S. were able to lift a 3000 lbs. tractor off their dad who was trapped under it?
It was due to this Challenge Response of stress that gave them superpowers to do the impossible and save their father.
It wouldn't be wrong to say stress makes you a super-human ...
You just need to realize that and know how to take advantage of it rather than get into panic mode.
So ...
The next time you feel your heart rate speeding up and your breathing goes deeper before a public speaking situation
... know that it's not as terrible as you might have always thought about.
It's just that your sympathetic nervous system is preparing your body and mind to gain your superpowers and absolutely kill your public speaking event.
The only caveat is to be sure that you're well-prepared and well-rehearsed for that speaking event.
Otherwise ...
It's like us going to the battlefield with an empty gun but you can't kill anyone with a gun that's empty, right Reader?
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BRINGING IT HOME
TL; DR
- Stress and speaking nerves make you rise to the challenge and perform at your peak levels.
- That's why we don't want to eliminate it, we want to get better at it.
Got questions? Let's discuss them HERE.
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Best,
Waqas - Founder & Speaking Anxiety Coach
Did you enjoy this week's issue?
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