It's 15 minutes before the game. Your palms are sweaty, your heartbeat picks up, and your legs feel just a little too light. Sound familiar?

Whether you're about to shoot the game-winning free throw, start a marathon, or step onto the court for your very first tennis match, that wave of nervous energy is hard to ignore.

But here's the twist: what if those nerves aren't the problem—but the key?

Most athletes don't need to eliminate pre-game anxiety. They need to learn how to manage it and even use it. That's what separates seasoned performers from those who crumble under pressure.

Understand What Nerves Really Are

First, let's clear something up: nerves are not weakness. According to Dr. Michael Gervais, a high-performance psychologist who has worked with Olympic champions and NFL stars, "Pre-performance anxiety is your body getting ready to perform. It's a signal—not a stop sign."

An increased heart rate, dry mouth, even butterflies in the stomach—these are signs your nervous system is preparing you for focus and movement. The key lies in how you interpret them. If you label them as fear, they shut you down. But if you label them as readiness, they sharpen you.

Use Mental Rehearsal, Not Just Physical Warmups

Many athletes stretch, jog, and warm up their muscles. But few warm up their minds. Visualization—or mental rehearsal—is one of the most effective and underused ways to reduce performance anxiety.

1. Picture Success: Sit quietly for just 3–5 minutes before the game and visualize the first 5 minutes of your performance going smoothly. Focus on small details: how the ball feels in your hand, the sound of your breath, the way your feet move.

2. Add Pressure Simulation: Don't just imagine success—imagine dealing with a mistake, too. See yourself recovering from a bad pass or missed serve and quickly resetting. This way, your brain rehearses not just perfection, but resilience.

Mental rehearsal calms your nervous system and strengthens neural pathways that control your movement under stress. And the best part? You can practice it anywhere.

Breathe Like You Mean It

No, we're not talking about just "taking a deep breath." We're talking about intentional breathwork that shifts your body from a state of anxiety into focus. Try this pre-performance breathing technique:

Box Breathing (used by elite athletes and high-pressure professionals):

• Inhale for 4 seconds

• Hold for 4 seconds

• Exhale for 4 seconds

• Hold for 4 seconds

Repeat for 2–3 minutes.

This activates your parasympathetic nervous system—the part responsible for calming your body—and reduces cortisol (stress hormone) levels. It's not flashy, but it works.

Set a Tiny Anchor

Sometimes, it's hard to slow your mind down once adrenaline kicks in. This is where a simple anchor—a small, familiar cue—can help. Think of it as a mental "reset button."

Examples of anchors:

1. Tapping your shoe three times before a serve

2. Touching your necklace or wristband

3. Saying one keyword silently to yourself (e.g., "smooth" or "focus")

These actions signal to your brain that it's time to shift from thinking to doing. Serena Williams often uses a fist pump and a word like "come on" to stay mentally locked in after high-pressure points. These aren't superstitions—they're grounding strategies.

Lower the Stakes in Your Mind

One of the biggest causes of nerves is over-attachment to the outcome. Thoughts like "I have to win" or "I can't mess this up" hijack your focus. The trick is to reframe the situation:

• Instead of "What if I lose?", try "What can I learn today?"

• Instead of "This is everything," try "This is one performance."

Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky once said she views each race not as a test of her worth, but as "just another swim." This mental shift reduces pressure without reducing motivation.

Build a Pre-Game Ritual

Routines give your brain something reliable to hold onto. They take the guesswork out of prep and reduce stress. A good pre-game ritual should include:

1. Physical Warmup (10–15 mins): Easy movement and dynamic stretches

2. Breathing (2–3 mins): Calm the nervous system

3. Visualization (3–5 mins): Mentally rehearse and center

4. Positive Self-Talk or Anchoring Cue (30 seconds): "You're ready" or "Let's do this"

Even just sticking to the same playlist or packing your gear in the same order can trigger calm and confidence.

Final Thought: Don't Aim for Zero Nerves

The goal isn't to erase anxiety. It's to guide it. Those butterflies? Let them fly—in formation. Next time you're in the locker room with shaky legs and a dry throat, ask yourself: What if this isn't fear… but energy waiting to be focused? Most great performances don't come from feeling completely calm. They come from managing the fire just right.

How do you handle nerves before a big game or performance? Got a ritual that works every time? Share it—you might help someone turn panic into power.