The Nerves Don’t Go Away
Maybe you’ve experienced it before: Your palms are sweating, your limbs feel weak or heavy, and your gut is unsettled. You’re nervous, and on the surface, you may or may not look calm and ready. And if you haven’t experienced it yourself, maybe you’ve heard Eminem rap about it. Or Simone Biles talk about it. Or Lebron James admit that even 20-plus years into his NBA career he still gets nervous—even before regular season games. Or on a normal Tuesday. Why? Because he loves what he does and he loves that he’s still getting to do it. He welcomes the nerves: the nerves, he says, give him a sense of being present, of feeling alive. So if you’re looking forward to a point in your athletic (or performance) career when you don’t get so nervous anymore, maybe it’s time to stop. Because the nerves don’t go away when you’re excited about what it is you get to do. And the nerves can even help you to perform at your best. The trickiest things about nerves …