Performers and artists alike have to be fearless. But we constantly go through stages in our careers where we get nervous.
Why do we get nervous? We practice our music, we know what it needs to sound like...
So what's the problem?
Is it because you care what other people think your playing? Is it because we care a lot?
We all want to present ourselves in the best possible light.
My friends, it's because we hate this thing called failure. Not to mention, if we fail publicly, then there's a level of humiliation that might be connected to that.
"Let that failure be a gift to you"
If you think about the reasons why we are where we are in the year 2018, it's because people before our time took risks, and they failed; sometimes, they failed spectacularly! People, I fail every day. But if you want to be successful, regardless of profession, you need to think like a marathon runner, not a sprinter.
If you're a 100 meter sprinter, the objective is to get to the finish line as quickly as possible. A sprinter wants to get from point A to point B as fast as possible but a long distance runner's way to victory is strategy, endurance, and patience.
These 3 things help you win your game
In a marathon, you may trip, fall, and you can give up right there, while other people run by you as you watch and stare.
You made a mistake, but only you can make the decision to get up and finish your race. It's you against yourself.
You're going to be nervous when you try something new, or experiment with an idea. Let that failure be a gift to you. Get back up and start running again.
When you miss a note, don't let that be the deciding factor of you giving up. I can tell you from personal experience that I get nervous because of the same reasons as you. I want to do well and play my best. But don't let the nerves distract you from the overall goal:
Be nervous, but don't be afraid
It's you against yourself. Once you realize this, nothing will stop you.