Written and reviewed by Emily Stern, Ph.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Published August 5, 2026
A managing partner at a leading global firm came to me while preparing for his annual investor conference, where he would speak to an audience of hundreds. He'd held his position for years and was well-liked and highly regarded by his colleagues. For the past several years, he had taken the stage with ease. This year, however, his firm was moving into bigger opportunities and courting high-profile investors, and the moment felt make-or-break. He was under enormous stress, and the physical symptoms had become almost unbearable. Nearly every day, he was struggling with lightheadedness, clammy hands, and a racing heart.
The anxiety he experienced in anticipation of the event felt debilitating. The pounding heart, the adrenaline, and the wired energy felt like signs that something was wrong, that he was faltering under pressure just when he needed to be at his best. And the more he fought those sensations, the worse they became.
Here's what the research tells us. Dr. Alia Crum's work at Stanford found that the way we interpret stress shapes how it impacts us. People who perceive stress as debilitating, a threat to be managed and minimized, tend to fare worse than those who see it as enhancing. In other words, we feel and perform better when we recognize stress as a mobilization of energy, focus, and readiness. The same racing heart that one person experiences as, "I'm falling apart," another might interpret as, "My body is preparing me to perform."
Once my client shifted away from the goal of "calming down" and focused on shaping his mindset instead, he came to recognize that the pounding heart and heightened alertness were merely signals. Armed with this insight, he was able to use his stress response to gear him up for his performance. Incorporating breathing techniques, cognitive tools, and "exposure" practice, his physical symptoms subsided, and he was able to work effectively toward his goal of approaching the conference with confidence and focus.
Key Takeaways
- Stress is not always a sign that something is wrong. Often, it reflects that you're preparing for something that matters.
- How you interpret your stress response influences both how you feel and how you perform.
- Physical symptoms such as a racing heart or sweaty palms are normal parts of the body's preparation for challenge.
- Trying to eliminate stress often makes it feel stronger. Learning to work with it is a more effective long term strategy.
- Evidence-based techniques, including breathing exercises, cognitive strategies, and gradual exposure, can help you respond to pressure with greater confidence and clarity.
Try This
The next time your heart is pounding before a high-stakes moment, resist the urge to make it stop. The neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett recounts a martial arts instructor's advice to a nervous young student. The instructor did not counsel the student to calm down, but instead coached her to get your butterflies flying in formation. The idea is to recognize the symptoms of stress (and anticipatory anxiety) as a signal that you're driving toward the goals or values that matter most. Once you approach stress with this mindset, you'll see your symptoms loosen their grip on you, and you will both feel better and perform well.