A Different Way to Look at Performance Anxiety

I am continuing to suspend in-person hypnotherapy sessions with me in my office. However, phone, and Zoom consultations ARE and WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE! 

 

(This blog was originally posted on September 15, 2016)

Sara Fogan with Power of the Herd author 

Linda Kohanov on July 31, 2016

 

 

Performance anxiety, or the fear of performing some task or behavior in front of other people, is a common phenomenon. Indeed, a majority of my hypnotherapy practice centers on helping clients overcome performance anxiety to some extent. Whether the person wants to increase confidence to speak or play an instrument in public, or overcome a “nervous stomach” before taking the field at a big game or horse show, performance anxiety is the culprit. Many people who come in to quit a tobacco habit or lose weight are initially surprised to learn that smoking/chewing tobacco or over-eating are replacement behaviors their subconscious mind uses to repress or stuff down this anxiety.

What if the source of your performance anxiety has less to do with the specific activity you are about to do and is more about being evaluated for that performance? In her book titled The Power of the Herd, A Nonpredatory Approach to Social Intelligence, Leadership, and Innovation¹, Linda Kohanov theorizes that the source of this stress has more to do with the evaluation than the task. The Eponaquest LLC founder calls this phenomenon “evaluation apprehension,” and describes various physiological symptoms of anxiety that we associate with performance anxiety including increased blood pressure and pulse/heart-rate and rapid speech pattern. Above all else is that overwhelming fear that everyone in the room is hyper-critical of and negatively rating everything we do. She even explains that the most deleterious effect of evaluation apprehension is the way it inhibits our desire to learn or try something new for fear of receiving this negative response from others.

When I read Kohanov’s take on performance anxiety, her concept of evaluation apprehension being the cause of this phenomenon really resonated with me. For example, it seems incongruous to hear that our favorite actor or dancer experiences severe “stage fright” before each performance despite having received the highest accolades for his or her work. What do they have to be afraid of when they have won every award there is for what they do? And yet, time and again they insist how much easier and preferable it is to do the work than to see the movie or a video of the performance, hear or read reviews about it later.

Her recognition of the “fear of the unknown” as a source of a person’s anxiety to try something new also dovetails with the Theory of Mind² that John Kappas, Ph.D., referenced in so much of his hypnotherapy work. According to the Hypnosis Motivation Institute founder, the subconscious part of the mind is uncomfortable about and resistant to doing new or different things even when the conscious mind (logic, reason, will-power/free-will and reasoning) says that it’s okay to do so. This resistance comes from the “knowns” (familiar stimuli) and that subconscious mental script we all carry around to protect us from real and perceived threats. If you have a subconscious mental script that keeps reinforcing the message that everyone really is judging and evaluating you—and you believe that this judgment is negative—of course you will avoid that situation at all costs. Since the subconscious mind works on expectation and imagination, over time, we learn to expect others to respond to and interact with us in a particular way based on that previous experience.

With that in mind, I would suggest looking at the phenomenon of performance anxiety in the context of “evaluation apprehension.” In fact, I really already do that in my hypnotherapy practice as I teach clients various breathing techniques to increase their relaxation and imagery exercises so they can focus on all the things that can and will go right during the task. I also encourage clients to use memories of positive experiences/outcomes in similar situations to increase their self-confidence and self-esteem. Ultimately, when we are confident and relaxed doing the behavior, it is easier and even enjoyable to do the task and not even think about, let alone worry, what other people may think about our performance.

1.       Kohanov, Linda. The Power of the Herd: A Nonpredatory Approach to Social Intelligence, Leadership, and Innovation. New World Library: Novato, California. 2013. pp. 188-189

2.       Kappas, Ph.D., John G. Professional Hypnotism Manual: A Practical Approach for Modern Times (4^th Edition). Panorama Publishing Company: Tarzana, CA. 2001. pp. 10-13

 

 

 

Autumn Promotion: Hypnosis for Weight Loss

 

Let the power of your subconscious mind help you release extra weight and increase your motivation to make healthier eating/nutrition and exercise choices. Book the entire 10-week series and save $250!

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. Sara has been voted the Best Hypnotherapist in Santa Clarita, California, four years in a row (2019-2022). For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit my website. 

© 2022

 

The Time Carl Hester Demonstrated He Has Mastered the 5 Roles of a Master Herder, Part 2

 I am continuing to suspend in-person hypnotherapy sessions with me in my office. However, phone, and Zoom consultations ARE and WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE! 

  

(This blog was originally posted on August 12, 2016)

 

Me and Linda Kohanov, best-selling author and

founder of Eponaquest Worldwide

Photo Courtesy of Sara Fogan

 

Most riders know and even expect that their horse will spook at something at some point. It’s bad enough having to deal with it (and, more importantly, our own nerves after the fact, while training or on a trail ride. It certainly can and does happen during competitions, too. For some reason, you just don’t expect to see an Olympic gold medalist experiencing this most natural balking response when the horse is startled or scared. We just believe and expect that these riders are so good and the horse must be so well-trained that this mundane phenomenon simply doesn’t even happen. At this level of competitive prowess, both horse and rider are surely beyond that kind of silly drama. Right?

But that is what happened when British Olympic dressage rider Carl Hester had to deal with his mount Nip Tuck’s spook during a transition to the extended walk during their 2016 Olympic Grand Prix competition. Some observers reported that the horse was nervous at the beginning of their ride, but a camera flash reportedly sent him over the edge. Fortunately, Hester was right there to take control of the situation and be the confident, dominant leader the gelding needed at that moment.

As I explained in my blog titled The Time Carl Hester Demonstrated He Has Mastered the 5 Roles of a Master Herder, Part 1, a true “master herder” is adept at fluidly utilizing any and all five functions whenever necessary to keep the herd or group safe and succeed in various environments and situations. Here is a brief summary of the ideal function/goals of each role, as explained by Linda Kohanov in The Five Roles of a Master Herder: A Revolutionary Model for Socially Intelligent Leadership.:

• Leader: inspires group members to follow his or her example to achieve goals.

• Dominant: uses “force”—language, techniques, emotion—to get group members to go/do what he or she is asking and stop unproductive behavior.

• Nurturer/Companion: promotes/monitors well-being of other group members

• Sentinel: Scans the environment so other group members can do their job; also looks for new opportunities for the herd to succeed.

• Predator: Uses dominant energy to stop/cut/cull unproductive/redundant individuals from the group. Also, offers additional protection to group members and can make tough decisions so the group can continue to survive/thrive.

When Nip Tuck balked near the “P” marker on the dressage court, Hester immediately took a more dominant position on the horse by adjusting his weight and posture in the saddle. Though this was invisible to most observers, the rider was certainly applying leg aids (pressure in the calf and thighs) to keep the horse moving forward in the direction he wanted them to continue traveling. During the extended walk, the reins are typically released (long) so the horse can have freedom in his head, neck and shoulders. If Hester shortened the reins during the spook (I didn’t notice; as I mentioned previously, this incident was over very quickly) he certainly would have let them out again right away to comply with regulations about this element of the competition. This release would immediately communicate the rider’s relaxation, comfort and control of the situation and environment to his equine partner (nurturer/companion and Leader). However, Hester probably also adopted a more enhanced sentinel role after that, looking out for any other stimuli that could similarly upset his horse that could further jeopardize their competitive score. In this context, he may have also adopted the more predatory, mien of a dominant leader, ready to re-direct his horse’s attention and correct any misbehavior before anyone noticed that Nip Tuck was even thinking about going off-script. Ultimately, the duo earned 75.529 percent for this ride; this is a very good score in a dressage competition even when your horse doesn’t spook or otherwise put a hoof wrong.

Carl Hester is my new hero. Yes, he is a fabulous dressage rider and equestrian, but the way he handled his equine partner's spook during the Grand Prix test should be an example to us all. The thing we mortal riders dread during competition (or any ride, actually) happened to an Olympic gold medalist DURING an Olympic ride. As I have commented before, if you looked away at the moment Nip Tuck balked you would have missed it altogether, that is how quickly Mr. Hester regained control of the ride and his equine partner's focus/attention. They started brilliantly and, I believe, finished the test the same way. I will definitely employ the image of how beautifully he handled this incident in future imagery for myself and equestrian clients. Well done, Mr. Hester. You are an Olympian and, more importantly, a true and good horseman!

 

Kohanov, Linda. The Five Roles of a Master Herder: A Revolutionary Model for Socially Intelligent Leadership. 2016. Novato, CA: New World Library.

 

Autumn Promotion: Hypnosis for Weight Loss

Let the power of your subconscious mind help you release extra weight and increase your motivation to make healthier eating/nutrition and exercise choices. Book the entire 10-week series and save $250!

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. Sara has been voted the Best Hypnotherapist in Santa Clarita, California, four years in a row (2019-2022). For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit my website. 

© 2022

 

 

The Time Carl Hester Demonstrated He Has Mastered the 5 Roles of a Master Herder, Part 1

I am continuing to suspend in-person hypnotherapy sessions with me in my office. However, phone, and Zoom consultations ARE and WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE! 

 

 

(This blog was originally posted on August 11, 2016)

 

Me and Linda Kohanov, best-selling author and

founder of Eponaquest Worldwide

Photo Courtesy of Sara Fogan

 

 

In 2016, I had the honor of attending a lecture and day-long leadership workshop led by Linda Kohanov, the best-selling author of Tao of Equus and founder of Eponaquest Worldwide. That weekend’s presentation focused on the research and principles she described in her new book titled The Five Roles of a Master Herder: A Revolutionary Model for Socially Intelligent Leadership. I have long been a fan of Ms. Kohanov’s writing and her equine-assisted therapy program, but the information she shared with us about herd leadership and the distinctive roles of an effective herd leader truly rocked my world.

Here is a brief summary of the ideal function/goals of each role, as explained by Linda Kohanov in The Five Roles of a Master Herder: A Revolutionary Model for Socially Intelligent Leadership:

• Leader: inspires group members to follow his or her example to achieve goals.

• Dominant: uses “force”—language, techniques, emotion—to get group members to go/do what he or she is asking and stop unproductive behavior.

• Nurturer/Companion: promotes/monitors well-being of other group members.

• Sentinel: Scans the environment so other group members can do their job; also looks for new opportunities for the herd to succeed.

• Predator: Uses dominant energy to stop/cut/cull unproductive/redundant individuals from the group. Also, offers additional protection to group members and can make tough decisions so the group can continue to survive/thrive.

During her presentation on July 30, 2016, Ms. Kohanov explained how she developed the business-management model of Master Herders from her observations of nomadic herding cultures. According to her observations and research, a Master Herder is able to fluidly negotiate five different roles: Leader, Dominant, Sentinel, Nurturer/Comforter and Predator. Furthermore, a true “master herder” is adept at fluidly utilizing five functions whenever necessary to keep his or her herd or group safe and succeed in various environments and situations. This principle applies whether you are the CEO of a corporation or literally caring for a herd of animals, even if that herd just a herd of two comprised of you and your horse. In both cases, the role of a Master Herder is to keep the “herd” safe as well as to continuously look out for opportunities for future and continued growth and prospects, Ms. Kohanov said.

For example, sometimes the role is forced on you, such as when no one else in the group wants or is willing to make important decisions and “lead” and inspire colleagues to achieve company goals. In another instance, it may be up to you to play the role of the “heavy” (dominant) and defuse professional quarrels between co-workers or mete out punishment if a deadline is not met. If you are particularly observant about business trends and economic growth or depression, you might find yourself in the role of sentinel—always on the look-out for potential danger or growth. At other times, you may find yourself in a situation where you can barely meet your own expected work quotas because so much of your time is spent reassuring or consoling (nurturer/companion) a colleague who is having personal or professional difficulties. Finally, it may fall to you to fire employees (predator) who do not fulfill work responsibilities.

We have all probably found ourselves in at least one of these roles in our work-place. This model is also applicable in family and general social contexts, such as a mother who comforts and reassures a toddler after scrapes his knee on the playground. However, that role can quickly become dominant when the youngster starts wandering toward the street and Mom shouts at him to stand still before grabbing his arm and pulling him away from the curb and oncoming traffic. And during one of his dressage tests the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Olympian Carl Hester had to simultaneously employ several of these roles to handle his horse when Nip Tuck spooked so they could successfully finish their ride. I will explain how Hester successfully demonstrated his skills as a “master herder” in my next blog.

Kohanov, Linda. The Five Roles of a Master Herder: A Revolutionary Model for Socially Intelligent Leadership. 2016. Novato, CA: New World Library.

 

 

Autumn Promotion: Hypnosis for Weight Loss

 Let the power of your subconscious mind help you release extra weight and increase your motivation to make healthier eating/nutrition and exercise choices. Book the entire 10-week series and save $250!

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. Sara has been voted the Best Hypnotherapist in Santa Clarita, California, four years in a row (2019-2022). For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit my website. 

© 2022

 

Carl Hester and the Five Roles of a Master Herder, Part 2

 To minimize risk of exposure to and spread of the COVID-19 virus, I am temporarily suspending in-person hypnotherapy sessions with me in my office. However, phone, Skype and Zoom consultations ARE and WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE! 

 

(This blog was originally posted on August 12, 2016)

 

Me and Linda Kohanov

 Photo Courtesy of Sara Fogan

 

Most riders know and even expect that their horse will spook at something at some point. It’s bad enough having to deal with it (and, more importantly, our own nerves after the fact, while training or on a trail ride. It certainly can and does happen during competitions, too. For some reason, you just don’t expect to see an Olympic gold medalist experiencing this most natural balking response when the horse is startled or scared. We just believe and expect that these riders are so good and the horse must be so well-trained that this mundane phenomenon simply doesn’t even happen. At this level of competitive prowess, both horse and rider are surely beyond that kind of silly drama. Right?

But that is what happened when British Olympic dressage rider Carl Hester had to deal with his mount Nip Tuck’s spook during a transition to the extended walk during their 2016 Olympic Grand Prix competition. Some observers reported that the horse was nervous at the beginning of their ride, but a camera flash reportedly sent him over the edge. Fortunately, Hester was right there to take control of the situation and be the confident, dominant leader the gelding needed at that moment.

As I explained in my blog titled The Time Carl Hester Demonstrated He Has Mastered the 5 Roles of a Master Herder, Part 1, a true “master herder” is adept at fluidly utilizing any and all five functions whenever necessary to keep the herd or group safe and succeed in various environments and situations. Here is a brief summary of the ideal function/goals of each role, as explained by Linda Kohanov in The Five Roles of a Master Herder: A Revolutionary Model for Socially Intelligent Leadership.:

• Leader: inspires group members to follow his or her example to achieve goals.

• Dominant: uses “force”—language, techniques, emotion—to get group members to go/do what he or she is asking and stop unproductive behavior

• Nurturer/Companion: promotes/monitors well-being of other group members

• Sentinel: Scans the environment so other group members can do their job; also looks for new opportunities for the herd to succeed.

• Predator: Uses dominant energy to stop/cut/cull unproductive/redundant individuals from the group. Also, offers additional protection to group members and can make tough decisions so the group can continue to survive/thrive.

When Nip Tuck balked near the “P” marker on the dressage court, Hester immediately took a more dominant position on the horse by adjusting his weight and posture in the saddle. Though this was invisible to most observers, the rider was certainly applying leg aids (pressure in the calf and thighs) to keep the horse moving forward in the direction he wanted them to continue traveling. During the extended walk, the reins are typically released (long) so the horse can have freedom in his head, neck and shoulders. If Hester shortened the reins during the spook (I didn’t notice; as I mentioned previously, this incident was over very quickly) he certainly would have let them out again right away to comply with regulations about this element of the competition. This release would immediately communicate the rider’s relaxation, comfort and control of the situation and environment to his equine partner (nurturer/companion and Leader). However, Hester probably also adopted a more enhanced sentinel role after that, looking out for any other stimuli that could similarly upset his horse that could further jeopardize their competitive score. In this context, he may have also adopted the more predatory, mien of a dominant leader, ready to re-direct his horse’s attention and correct any misbehavior before anyone noticed that Nip Tuck was even thinking about going off-script. Ultimately, the duo earned 75.529 percent for this ride; this is a very good score in a dressage competition even when your horse doesn’t spook or otherwise put a hoof wrong.

Carl Hester is my new hero. Yes, he is a fabulous dressage rider and equestrian, but the way he handled his equine partner's spook during the Grand Prix test should be an example to us all. The thing we mortal riders dread during competition (or any ride, actually) happened to an Olympic gold medalist DURING an Olympic ride. As I have commented before, if you looked away at the moment Nip Tuck balked you would have missed it altogether, that is how quickly Mr. Hester regained control of the ride and his equine partner's focus/attention. They started brilliantly and, I believe, finished the test the same way. I will definitely employ the image of how beautifully he handled this incident in future imagery for myself and equestrian clients. Well done, Mr. Hester. You are an Olympian and, more importantly, a true and good horseman!

 

Kohanov, Linda. The Five Roles of a Master Herder: A Revolutionary Model for Socially Intelligent Leadership. 2016. Novato, CA: New World Library.

 

Special Discount for First Responders

 25 percent discount off the first hypnotherapy session for all active/retired military personnel and first responders (police, fire-fighters, EMT/paramedics, ambulance personnel, emergency dispatchers, ER doctors, ER nurses) plus $10 off a la carte sessions!*

 

*This promotion may not be combined with any other offer. It is non-transferable and may not be exchanged for cash. Promotion ends on November 30, 2020

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. In July 2019 and in September 2020 she was voted the Best Hypnotherapist in Santa Clarita, California. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2020

 

 

 

Carl Hester and The Five Roles of a Master Herder, Part 1

 To minimize risk of exposure to and spread of the COVID-19 virus, I am temporarily suspending in-person hypnotherapy sessions with me in my office. However, phone, Skype and Zoom consultations ARE and WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE! 

 

(This blog was originally posted on August 11, 2016)

 

 Me and Linda Kohanov 

Photo Courtesy of Sara Fogan

 

 

In 2016, I had the honor of attending a lecture and day-long leadership workshop led by Linda Kohanov, the best-selling author of Tao of Equus and founder of Eponaquest Worldwide. That weekend’s presentation focused on the research and principles she described in her new book titled The Five Roles of a Master Herder: A Revolutionary Model for Socially Intelligent Leadership. I have long been a fan of Ms. Kohanov’s writing and her equine-assisted therapy program, but the information she shared with us about herd leadership and the distinctive roles of an effective herd leader truly rocked my world.

Here is a brief summary of the ideal function/goals of each role, as explained by Linda Kohanov in The Five Roles of a Master Herder: A Revolutionary Model for Socially Intelligent Leadership:

• Leader: inspires group members to follow his or her example to achieve goals.

• Dominant: uses “force”—language, techniques, emotion—to get group members to go/do what he or she is asking and stop unproductive behavior

• Nurturer/Companion: promotes/monitors well-being of other group members

• Sentinel: Scans the environment so other group members can do their job; also looks for new opportunities for the herd to succeed.

• Predator: Uses dominant energy to stop/cut/cull unproductive/redundant individuals from the group. Also, offers additional protection to group members and can make tough decisions so the group can continue to survive/thrive.

During her presentation on July 30, 2016, Ms. Kohanov explained how she developed the business-management model of Master Herders from her observations of nomadic herding cultures. According to her observations and research, a Master Herder is able to fluidly negotiate five different roles: Leader, Dominant, Sentinel, Nurturer/Comforter and Predator. Furthermore, a true “master herder” is adept at fluidly utilizing five functions whenever necessary to keep his or her herd or group safe and succeed in various environments and situations. This principle applies whether you are the CEO of a corporation or literally caring for a herd of animals, even if that herd just a herd of two comprised of you and your horse. In both cases, the role of a Master Herder is to keep the “herd” safe as well as to continuously look out for opportunities for future and continued growth and prospects, Ms. Kohanov said.

For example, sometimes the role is forced on you, such as when no one else in the group wants or is willing to make important decisions and “lead” and inspire colleagues to achieve company goals. In another instance, it may be up to you to play the role of the “heavy” (dominant) and defuse professional quarrels between co-workers or mete out punishment if a deadline is not met. If you are particularly observant about business trends and economic growth or depression, you might find yourself in the role of sentinel—always on the look-out for potential danger or growth. At other times, you may find yourself in a situation where you can barely meet your own expected work quotas because so much of your time is spent reassuring or consoling (nurturer/companion) a colleague who is having personal or professional difficulties. Finally, it may fall to you to fire employees (predator) who do not fulfill work responsibilities.

We have all probably found ourselves in at least one of these roles in our work-place. This model is also applicable in family and general social contexts, such as a mother who comforts and reassures a toddler after scrapes his knee on the playground. However, that role can quickly become dominant when the youngster starts wandering toward the street and Mom shouts at him to stand still before grabbing his arm and pulling him away from the curb and oncoming traffic. And during one of his dressage tests the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Olympian Carl Hester had to simultaneously employ several of these roles to handle his horse when Nip Tuck spooked so they could successfully finish their ride. I will explain how Hester successfully demonstrated his skills as a “master herder” in my next blog.

Kohanov, Linda. The Five Roles of a Master Herder: A Revolutionary Model for Socially Intelligent Leadership. 2016. Novato, CA: New World Library.

 

 

Special Discount for First Responders

 25 percent discount off the first hypnotherapy session for all active/retired military personnel and first responders (police, fire-fighters, EMT/paramedics, ambulance personnel, emergency dispatchers, ER doctors, ER nurses) plus $10 off a la carte sessions!*

 

*This promotion may not be combined with any other offer. It is non-transferable and may not be exchanged for cash. Promotion ends on November 30, 2020

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. In July 2019 and in September 2020 she was voted the Best Hypnotherapist in Santa Clarita, California. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2020