Chapter 5

Psych Yourself Up, Not Out

I get nervous if I don’t get nervous. I think it’s healthy. You just have to channel that into the show.

SINGER BEYONCÉ

An entrepreneur asked me, almost in a state of panic, “My laptop froze in the middle of a crucial presentation last week. It took me forever to get my slides working again, but by then it was too late. I’d lost everyone’s attention and couldn’t get them back. I’ve got another presentation coming up and I’m afraid of another meltdown. Can you help me regain my confidence?”

I asked her, “Are you an athlete?”

“Yes, but what does that have to do with regaining my confidence?”

“Because you’ve played sports, you know there are two kinds of athletes when the game’s on the line. The kind who step ...

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