Controlling the Controllables

Have you ever walked on stage feeling like you’re entering into a completely uncontrollable situation? Your stress levels are up and your nerves have gone into overdrive. You worry about the difficult passages coming up, and what the audience might think if you hit a wrong note. The bright lights are glaring in your eyes, and the uncomfortable acoustic seems to magnify any slight blemish that you create on your instrument.

One reason why performers become uncertain and anxious on stage is because their focus and attention is drawn to certain aspects of performance that are beyond their control. Worry and stress can take a huge mental and physical toll, and leave you feeling flat and drained, even before the first note of the gig has sounded. The additional stress and uncertainty of the situation makes the performance seem like it’s something that you just want to survive through, rather than thrive in.

It’s a frustrating feeling, I know. I’ve certainly been there, and I’m sure some of you have as well!

One valuable mental skill for performers to develop is the ability to maintain focus on things that you have control over. In sports psychology this is known as “Controlling the Controllables”, and is an important part of performing optimally, particularly under distracting or stressful circumstances. When your attention is on the things that are out of your control, (such as what the audience or audition panel think of your playing, the temperature or acoustic of the room, and even the squeaky chair you have to sit on) you can quickly become overwhelmed by the situation.

Focusing on the “uncontrollables” can create a sense that you have no choice or power when performing, and that the performance quality is determined by external factors, rather than by your own efforts. Becoming a victim of the circumstance by attaching blame to uncontrollable events can also cause feelings of helplessness, which can send you spiralling into survival mode. This creates an additional spike of stress hormones to be released into the body, which makes you think more reactively and erratically, instead of staying clear and calm.

However, if you are able to consciously shift your focus and energy onto the things that you CAN do something about, then you will be much more likely to feel empowered and perform your best! 💪

“Perception is everything.”

Even though there are plenty of things that are outside your control in performance situations, if you perceive to have control over certain aspects of the performance, then negative stress levels will be greatly reduced. The additional sense of control and certainty helps improve brain function, enabling you to perform with far greater flexibility, certainty, and improved general awareness.

So how can you increase your perception of control on stage?

A simple strategy to gain clarity with your onstage focus is by writing out all of the things that you do and do not have control over when you enter the performance space. 📝 Doing this creates a clear perception of where your focus needs to be when performing, and can give you greater awareness of when your focus drifts onto the “uncontrollables.”

In the “Controlling the Controllables” table below, write out everything you can think of that you do and do not have control over in performances. This can also be applied to basically any circumstance you encounter on a day-to-day basis – from work situations, to sporting events, exams and tests, travelling on holidays, or anything else you can imagine. But here we’ll use it in a musical context.

Some things that you might have control over in a performance include:

·      Your attitude 👍

·      Effort/energy levels 💥

·      Body language 🕺

·      Your own preparation 🎶

·      Your intended musical message you wish to communicate to the audience ❤️

·      How you respond when you or others make mistakes 😖

Parts of the performance that you have NO control over could include:

·      What the audience thinks of your performance 🧐

·      The temperature of the room 🥶 🥵

·      The acoustic of the room 👂

·      What your fellow performers do on stage 🤪

·      ANY part of the performance that is in the past 🎵

·      The old lady opening a lolly wrapper in the 3rd row in the middle of the softest section of the piece! 🍬

Once you’ve completed your list, it’s good to regularly remind yourself of the “controllables”, and take 100% responsibility for these aspects in your preparation. Take charge of your performance by removing any blame on those things that lie outside of your control, and make yourself accountable for your own actions that lead to great performances.

So before your next performance, it’s a good idea to ask yourself: “What things are under my control in this situation, and how will I make the most of them to perform my absolute best?”