The Bulletproof Musician
Episodes
Jeff Huber: On Preparing Mentally for Competition
15 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Listen in as 3-time US Olympic diving coach Jeff Huber shares some tips on how to make the most of your practice time, and prepare more effectively fo...
A Childhood Pastime That Could Help You Reduce Stress and Manage Audition-Day Nerves
01 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The wait backstage can be torturous, as you feel the anxiety build, and wish you could just go out and play already. What are we supposed to do with a...
Can We Really Trust Our Intuition When Making Difficult Decisions?
25 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When faced with a tough decision, people often advise us to "sleep on it" or "go with your gut." But what does the research say? I...
Two Different Kinds of Nerves? How One Type Helps and the Other Type…Not so Much
18 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Most people think nerves are bad. But some people say nerves and pressure can be good. So...which is it? Two Different Kinds of Nerves? How One Type ...
Could This Working Memory Exercise Help Offset the Effect of Nerves on Performance?
11 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Many of the brain-training apps and games out there don't seem to be as effective as one might hope. But there's one type of mental training...
Stereotype Threat: The Paradox of Becoming Exactly What You’re Trying to Prove That You’re Not. (Huh?!)
04 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever performed poorly at something because you put too much pressure on yourself to prove that you are totally awesome at that thing? A pheno...
Need a Little Shot of Optimism? Try the "Best Possible Self" Exercise
25 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It's easy to start losing confidence and start doubting yourself in the week leading up to a big performance or audition. But research suggests t...
Can We Train Ourselves to Be Less Anxious?
18 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
"Just think positive" never seems to work - but only focusing on doom and gloom sure doesn't help either. Research suggests that the ke...
Just Thinking You Don't Have Enough Time (Even If That's Not True) Negatively Affects Performance
11 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Nowadays, we all seem to be going through each day, rushing from one thing to the next. And sometimes, this just becomes a habit, where we feel the pr...
Power Posing vs. Yoga. Yay or Nay?
04 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Can a little backstage yoga or power posing help us manage our anxiety and walk out on stage a little more calm and composed? What does the research s...
How to Keep Your Cool in Stressful Lessons, Rehearsals, and More
28 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The motivational climate that leads to more anxious, stressed-out learners. And the motivational climate that leads to more resilient learners. How t...
Why Do We Have Such a Hard Time Accepting Compliments?
21 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Do you have a hard time accepting and internalizing compliments from others? Here's a 3-step technique for taking it in - without turning into an...
The Problem with Taking Excessively Long Practice Breaks
14 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Why taking a practice break too soon, and for too long, could slow down the learning process. The Problem with Taking Excessively Long Practice Break...
Why It’s Probably Not a Good Sign If Practicing Starts to Feel Easy
07 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Research suggests that my teacher may have been onto something when he said "if practicing feels easy, you’re probably not doing it right.” ...