It's Good To Be Nervous

I had to lie to get my first acting job.

I landed a part in Jack Hibberd’s Dimboola – one of Australia’s most successful plays. Trouble was, I was still only 17.

So I instantly became 18, just like that.

Back in those days, things were lazier. Trust was stronger. I said was 18, that was good enough for everyone. I was in!

Boy was I nervous on the opening night. Shaking.

It wasn’t a big speaking part – yet I was onstage for the entire night. Sitting at the wedding table next to my bride. Morrie was a simple-minded bridegroom, whose mouth stayed open all night in a dopy half-smile. He was lovable, like an adoring dog. Anytime he was asked a question, his standard reply was…

“No worries.”

I said that same line 28 times.

Eventually, the audience started to say my line for me.

Laughter all round. As the opening night progressed, the seasoned actors began to realize: this novice was stealing the show! With almost no lines, this pimply adolescent, sitting there stupidly smiling all night, attracted everyone's attention. A star was born.

Oh those were the days.

My season ran for 8 months, and slowly my performance unravelled.

Instead of a real person, my Morrie became a caricature of one. My sweetness morphed into commentary and cynicism. I felt myself downing in my inexperience, not knowing how to be real again.

Except when I had nerves.

When I was nervous about a show – because some famous person was in the audience – I reverted back to a higher standard of performance. The real Morrie returned. I knew because the audience demonstrated more affection, they resumed saying my line for me, they laughed harder at my idiotic responses to the other characters in the wedding.

I started to realise – being nervous is a good thing.

It woke me up, gave me energy and focus – spurred me on to give an authentic performance. What a surprise then – when I started teaching Alexander's discovery at 21 – to discover that other performers dreaded being “nervous.”

What?!

My teacher Marj had a standard reply to folks who told her “I feel nervous”. She’d look at them nonplussed:

“I don’t know what that is.”

Think for your Self now – what is being “nervous”?

A label for something, but what is that “something”?

Physiologically we know it is associated with your autonomic nervous system. Specifically you are firing up your sympathetic nervous system – pumping a cascade of hormones into your system to ready you for action.

As you research it, you will discover that this is universally characterized as a “startle response” or “fight or flight” reaction. Text books associate it with danger and violent actions.

Rubbish. It is now 2017, not 10,000BC.

I was an actor going onstage, not a caveman about to be killed in battle. Backstage, no-one was threatening me to whack me on the head with a baseball bat either. In fact, my “nerves” turned out to be a wonderful way to align me with my purpose…

I needed this energy boost so I could perform with focus, energy and action.

On nights when I was not nervous, THEN I WOULD WORRY!!!

I had to haul my Self on stage, and work much harder to get to the same level of performance. Never as easy.

Nerves are all about the framing: are you really in danger?

From millions of people and 6 decades of operation in multiple parks, only 9 people have been documented to die on Disneyland rides. Of those, all but two died because they ignored the safety regulations.

There is no danger at Disneyland.

Believing this, allows you to reframe “nervous” into “excitement”. You anticipate with pleasure the thrill of a racing roller-coaster ride.

It’s like this then:

Baseball bat – “Something terrible is going to happen.” DANGER

Disneyland – “Something wonderful is going to happen.” SAFETY

Both involve anticipation of something scary…

The difference is in your recognition of safety.

With this recognition, a performer can enjoy the thrill of a scary performance. An Alexander teacher can enjoy the thrill of not knowing what is going to happen next.

Many times I welcome this state in teaching – wondering “What will I do/say/act upon now?!” I am able to access a reservoir of unconscious memories to deliver an appropriate action. My heart races, my mind is focused and clear, I feel enthusiastic and joyful.

Same physiology, different conceptual framework.

Alexander went on and on about the untrustworthy nature of feeling: this falls into that category. The “untrustworthiness” is not in the sensory information itself – there is a basis in fact for your anticipation – however it matters how you label this.

Am I in real danger? Is something terrible going to happen to me?

Some forms of heightened fear will eventually ‘anesthetize’ your higher cognitive functions – you are literally dumbed down, acting from your reptilian brain.

It facilitates your ability to kill – reptiles don’t have a concept of murder – your morality vanishes. You can do terrible things to stay alive. It’s a defence in our courts of Justice.

***

Is someone going to kill me – is THAT why I am nervous???

Obviously, that is my mistaken idea. And yet, feelings gone unquestioned will lead you to “feel” that you are in terrible danger. Therefore, more than ever, you need higher cognitive functions aligned congruently with your “fight or flight” response.

You turn it around: affirm you are safe - you are doing what you want to do.

Performers do NOT need to be calm. That’s nonsense. Clarity of mind does not equal calm. Performance is a dynamic, energy intensive activity.

As I discovered in Dimboola, I can use nerves in a constructive, conscious framework.

Performers can utilize Alexander's discovery to re-ignite cognitive function before fear morphs into panic and initiates a dumbing down protocol.

After recognition of the inherent safety of your situation, comes the recognition that you are doing what you decided to do; what you want to do. And finally recognition of the fruits blossoming out of your creative performance.

An alternative for “startle” or “flight or fight” response is “hyperarousal”.

This is more accurate. There is no embedded violence in that name: instead, it more accurately describes what is happening:

– A cascade of hormones are released into your blood stream

– Your lungs expand to increase oxygen intake

– Your heart rate increases

– Your liver releases glucose for energy

– You empty the bladder, shut down digestion and cease to feel hungry

Where’s the fear? No fear. Just “hyperarousal”.

Perfect if I am about to perform. Anything.