Reframe the Stakes

Most pressure is something you build with the story you tell yourself. "This meeting decides my whole career" sets off panic. "This is a talk with people who want what I want" sets off teamwork. Same room, same facts.

Here is the move that makes it stick. Anxiety and excitement share many body signals: racing heart, quick breath, buzzing hands. The label you choose can change whether that energy feels like danger or readiness.