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Different Paths to Managing Presentation Nerves
Sarah's and John's Stories
Overcoming Presentation Anxiety with MCT
Imagine two people facing the same presentation, but with very different experiences. One tries traditional methods, while the other uses Metacognitive Therapy (MCT).
Sarah's Experience: Finding Confidence with MCT
As her presentation drew closer, Sarah had the familiar anxious thoughts, like "What if I mess up?" But instead of fighting them, she used MCT techniques.
She practiced seeing her thoughts as just passing mental events, like trains she didn't need to board. By simply noticing them, she stayed focused on her preparation without getting caught up in worry. When persistent worries arose, she told herself she'd think about them later. By her "worry time," many of those thoughts seemed unimportant, freeing her from dwelling on them. She also practised focusing on sounds around her, which helped her ability to shift her attention away from her own internal worries during moments of pressure.
Beyond these techniques, Sarah, with support, looked at her beliefs about worry. She'd always thought worrying helped her prepare or that anxious thoughts were uncontrollable. Through reflection, she realised these weren't necessarily true. This shift helped her step back from unhelpful thinking.
When the day arrived, Sarah felt calmer and more focused. By not getting caught up in her worries and being able to direct her attention, she delivered her presentation with clarity and confidence.
John's Experience: Getting Stuck with Traditional Methods
John had the same anxious thoughts but tried to push them away, believing this would calm him down. Unfortunately, the harder he tried to suppress them, the more they kept coming back.
John also tried to use mindfulness to "feel calm." But because he saw his thoughts as threats, focusing inward only made his anxiety worse. He spent a lot of time questioning his thoughts, like "Am I really going to fail?" This constant overthinking left him feeling drained.
By presentation day, John was exhausted from trying to manage his anxiety. His inward focus disrupted his performance, leading to hesitation and self-doubt.
The Key Difference: How They Responded to Thoughts
Sarah and John faced similar challenges, but how they approached their thoughts made a big difference:
Sarah's Success: MCT helped Sarah step back from her thoughts, look at her beliefs about worry differently, and regain control over her attention. John's Struggle: By trying to control his thoughts, John got caught in a cycle of trying to suppress them and overthinking, which made his anxiety worse. MCT suggests that you don't need to control or suppress your thoughts – what's important is changing how you relate to them. By learning to step back, redirect your attention, and explore unhelpful beliefs, you can break free from anxiety and perform at your best.