Jay Shetty says: “Self doubt has killed more dreams than any failure or rejection in the world.”

During my 4 years studying at the New England Conservatory of Music, I performed like shit.

It wasn't work ethic or lackluster technique that caused my poor performance, but it was the beliefs I had around my playing:

• "I'll never be good enough to win a job"

• "Everyone else is better than me -- I don't deserve to be here."

• "If I don't play well, I'm not worth anything."

Henry Ford summed it up best: "Whether you believe you can, or believe you can't, you are right."

Transforming my mindset has allowed me to overcome performance anxiety, perform better, gain confidence, and finally rediscover the joy of playing!

Here is the simple framework:

1: IDENTIFY THE LIMITING BELIEF

The first step for change is always becoming aware of and defining the problem.

Ask yourself: "What are some of the most common negative things I say to myself related to my playing?"

2: IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF THE BELIEF

Limiting beliefs are often developed before the age of 15 and are usually born from parents, teachers, societal expectations, or a particularly traumatic event.

Ask yourself: "How did I form these negative opinions about myself? Who or what specific circumstances contributed to these beliefs?"

3: QUESTION THE LIMITING BELIEF

Limiting beliefs can occasionally be rooted in semblances of reality, but they are often complete bullshit.

Ask yourself: "Why do I believe these statements to be true? What actual evidence do I have for these negative opinions?"

4: IDENTIFY HOW THIS BELIEF HAS BEEN LIMITING YOUR LIFE

Identifying how a limiting beliefs has been shackling your life illustrates just how damaging it has been to you and can provide motivation for change.

Ask yourself: "How long have these negative thoughts been with me? How have these beliefs limited my life? How has my behavior reinforced these beliefs? 

5: CREATE A NEW POSITIVE AFFIRMATION

Now that we have completely unpacked the limiting belief, we must create a new empowering belief or affirmation to replace it.

I like creating affirmations that include real world evidence to back it up.

Example:

• Original Negative belief: "I'll never be good enough to win a job."

• New Positive affirmation: "I graduated from NEC, have practiced an average of 4 hours a day for the last 7 years, have the discipline to work harder than any of my peers, and therefore am a good enough player to win my dream job."

Write this down and repeat it everyday.

6: CREATE ACTION STEPS TO AFFIRM THE NEW AFFIRMATION

An Affirmation is useless unless real world action is taken that aligns with it.

As James Clear says: “Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity."

Ask yourself: "What actions can I take to challenge my negative belief? What actions can I take to create a new identity and aligns with my positive affirmation?"

7: COMPILE EVIDENCE AND CELEBRATE

Every time you perform a small action that was in alignment with your positive affirmation, take the time to celebrate it as evidence for your new identity!

If we do not actively take note of the positive actions we take, negativity bias will cause us to solely recognize the instances we've failed to align with our new identity.

When it comes to overcoming performance anxiety, only you can know whether you need to improve your technique, become more disciplined, get a new teacher, start a meditation practice, or fix your mindset.

In my experience though, far too many musicians waste hours in the practice room, before realizing the true bottleneck is rooted in self worth.

Invest time in becoming aware of your limiting beliefs, intimately understanding them, and taking consistent small actions to redefine who you are.