How to Achieve Your Peak Performance

"Successful people regularly face high-stakes performances. From interviews, lectures, or auditions to sports competitions or concerts, these events often cause tremendous stress. Individuals prepare for years to compete at the highest level and the outcome of a single event can alter a career. I interviewed three world-class performers who shared their strategies to set themselves up for success. Isabella Carucci is a flutist, writer, and executive director of The Flute Pedagogy Project."

"Simulate conditions during your preparation By creating conditions that closely mimic the real event, you can acclimate to lead to a more relaxed state when you face the actual performance. Ms. Carucci prepares for performances using mock auditions. For example, she makes her living room cold, wears a short-sleeve shirt so she feels chilly, and does jumping jacks to get her heart rate up (I. Carucci, personal communication, September 14, 2025). Then she records the performance or has"

High-stakes performances such as interviews, auditions, competitions, and concerts generate significant stress and can change careers. Three world-class performers are Isabella Carucci (flutist and executive director), Daniel Kozusek (international chess player), and Dr. Daniel Becker (facial plastic surgeon). Simulating event conditions during preparation helps acclimate performers and reduces stress. Practical simulation techniques include mock auditions, environmental adjustments, physical warm-ups, and recording rehearsals. Visualization, meditative breathing, mindfulness, and physical fitness are effective approaches. Performers should acknowledge disappointment after setbacks, learn from the experience, select strategies that suit them, and remain focused on goals.

Read at Psychology Today