Book excerpt: What does it take to control your performance nerves, to feel confident when facing audiences, and to acquire mastery of your talent? How can you feel secure in the knowledge that you are giving your best? This second edition of Secrets of Performing Confidence helps you to find solutions to these questions, and shows you skills and techniques for improving your motivation, confidence, creativity and peak performance. It also gives you a range of effective strategies for dealing with auditions, stress, burnout, fame and performance anxiety. The authors draw on a wealth of knowledge that comes from working closely with leading performers in the fields of music, acting and dance. Throughout, they emphasise practical steps that can be easily assimilated and used for all kinds of performance situations. Featuring a wealth of new material for a modern world of new media and technology, Secrets of Performing Confidence helps to sharpen all the skills you need to survive and flourish in an increasingly competitive performing environment.