{"id":2933,"date":"2024-03-28T00:00:11","date_gmt":"2024-03-28T00:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magiecook.com\/blog\/clarity-purpose-vision-copy\/"},"modified":"2024-03-27T19:32:14","modified_gmt":"2024-03-27T19:32:14","slug":"the-psychology-of-performance-why-attractive-characters-alter-egos-help-overcome-nervousness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magiecook.com\/blog\/the-psychology-of-performance-why-attractive-characters-alter-egos-help-overcome-nervousness\/","title":{"rendered":"The Psychology of Performance: Why Attractive Characters (Alter Egos) Help Overcome Nervousness"},"content":{"rendered":"Let’s talk about Beyonce.<\/span>\r\n\r\nYou probably were not expecting this week’s blog to start off talking about one of the most prolific and successful musicians of all time, but stay with me here. Beyonce’s success is near-unmatched, and one of the key elements of her success lies in, among other things, her captivating and almost otherworldly stage presence. You would never guess that this person, who seems to feel at home in front of audiences, had ever experienced stage fright or nervousness at any point in their career.<\/span>\r\n\r\nBut these individuals who captivate us on stage are no more or less human than you or myself. Every human being on the planet has experienced some form of nervousness; it’s one of many emotions that make life colorful and exciting. So the question remains: if everyone experiences stage fright and anxiety, how do performers, speakers, and athletes remain in control, familiar to us, and effective on stage, where anxiety peaks for many?<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe answer: becoming a Sasha Fierce.<\/span>\r\n\r\nSasha Fierce is famously Beyonce’s alter ego that she has gone on record as stating she embodies when she is performing. Where<\/span> Beyonce is reserved and subdued in her personal life<\/span><\/a>, Sasha is exuberant, sensual, confident, all the qualities fans popularly attribute to the singer herself. And in a way they’re right: Sasha and Beyonce are the same person…but at the same time, not the same person.<\/span>\r\n\r\nYou don’t have to be a world-famous performer to recognize the power of adopting an alter ego, or the “attractive character” to overcome anxiety. I’ve dedicated much of my blog to breaking down the many ways individuals can harness their power to control anxiety when speaking in public, including deep breathing, visualization, manifestation, and cognitive restructuring. Supported by decades of research across psychology, communications, and neuroscience, adopting an alter ego is just one of many ways you can tap into that power.<\/span>\r\n\r\nIn today’s blog, we’ll look at the origins of performance anxiety, the psychology of performance, and how crafting the attractive character allows many to overcome self-doubt and anxiety.<\/span>\r\n

What are performance anxiety and performance psychology?<\/b><\/h2>\r\nPerformance anxiety refers to the negative psychological and physiological reactions our minds and bodies experience when performing in front of others. It is one of many psychological aspects addressed by the broader field of performance psychology.<\/span>\r\n

Performance anxiety symptoms can include:<\/b><\/h3>\r\n