A Bundle of Nerves: With Guests Alison Wood Brooks & Steven Osborne

Choiceology with Katy Milkman

Charles Schwab

Investing, Social Sciences, Behavioral Economics, Science, Society & Culture, Decision Making, Charles Schwab, Dan Heath, Business, Katy Milkman

4.7 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 3 August 2020

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The rapid heartbeat. The shaking hands. The flushed face. The symptoms of pre-performance jitters are common. For some people, nervousness before a big test or important presentation is normal and temporary. For others, it can be debilitating. Typical suggestions for managing nerves tend to involve deep breaths and calming thoughts. But what if there were a better way? In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at the science behind the state of arousal commonly referred to as stage fright, including new research into better ways to manage unpleasant emotions.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Picture one of those big reality TV singing contests, say American Idol. It's the finals and contestants are getting ready for their
0:16.7	turn to perform in front of the judges and a huge audience.
0:20.3	Okay, Sam, this is your big moment. The audience is waiting, judges are ready to go, so how are you feeling?
0:28.0	Oh man, I'm so nervous. My hands are shaking. I don't know if I can do this.
0:38.0	Ah, you got this buddy. Take a deep breath. That's it. Okay, get out there and show them what you got.
0:45.0	Amazing.
0:48.0	Can I start again?
0:58.0	Okay, Linnell, it is time. The judges and the audience are all ready for you.
1:01.0	How are you feeling? Oh my gosh my heart is racing. My hands are
1:08.8	shaking. Oh but I am so excited. What an opportunity.
1:12.8	All right. Well, good luck out there.
1:14.5	Roses and rain all over a game.
1:20.9	It's a scene that's played out many times in many different ways. On stage, in the boardroom, at the front of the class, and possibly in your nightmares.
1:31.0	The rapid heartbeat, the sweaty palms, the shallow breathing. For some
1:37.6	it's a feeling of excitement. Others feel like they might die. Today on the podcast, we're looking at the way emotions can affect our performance,
1:48.0	but also strategies we can use to improve our performance
1:51.0	when threatening emotions well up.
1:54.0	I'm Dr. Katie Milkman and this is Choiceology, an original podcast from Charles Schwab.
2:05.8	It's a show about the psychology and economics behind our decisions.
2:10.1	We bring you true stories involving high stakes make or break moments,
2:14.1	and we explore the latest research in behavioral science
2:17.3	to help you perform better and avoid costly mistakes. stakes. So I'm Stephen Osborne, I'm a classical pianist and I'm based in Edinburgh.
	...

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