KEY TAKEAWAY

When you feel anxious, remember that anxiety is generated from the same place as enthusiasm. To flip that mental switch, consider  the end result and how excited you are to gain clarity to move towards that conclusion. 

Sources of Anxiety

Many people are afraid of speaking to a camera or in public. Some fear it more than death. They can get so anxious about it that it becomes suffocating. The same thing is true in the world of consulting when it comes to things like:

• Asking for money.
• Telling a client that we don’t have the budget to do what they want.
• Telling a client we won’t be able to meet their time frame.

Imagine, having to tell a stakeholder that their pet project probably isn’t going to make it into the sprint and may not even make it into the project. These are some of the areas that give typical product owners and project managers a lot of anxiety.

Understanding the Emotional Landscape

Anxiety and enthusiasm can both produce sleepless nights, why is that? Research shows that the brain activity related to anxiety and enthusiasm come from the exact same location. It’s important to note, that if they are in the exact same location, that means that you can probably interpret, and possibly even convince, yourself and your brain that in some of these areas, you’re not simply anxious about sharing the information, instead, you are absolutely and fantastically enthusiastically excited to get over this risk, in order to maintain the velocity of the project. Anxiety is going to come, and that’s normal, but leveraging this understanding to reframe how you are thinking about it can be really powerful.

Strategies to Reframe Anxiety

Understanding the reality that anxiety and enthusiasm come from the same part of our brains, enables us focus and convert that energy into positivity. It’s really about how you formulate the challenge in your mind. Here is one method for you to consider:

• Anxiety: You don’t include a user story from the stakeholder that is their pet project.
• Enthusiasm: You are making room for the agreed upon stories and now they will have greater velocity and momentum.
  

This simple flip makes it possible for you to be enthusiastic about the positive outcome instead of anxious about the challenging part.

Emotional Intelligence in Communication

So, the next time you feel anxious, remember that anxiety is generated from the same place as enthusiasm and when you’re on a call adjust so that:

• Your voice reflects the enthusiasm you have.
• You are confident about moving through roadblocks.
• You are able to show up and get clarity.

Remember, clarity is momentum and will be used to fuel the excitement around the project. Consider the end result and allow yourself to be excited about the opportunity to gain clarity when you have to ask tough questions as it enables you to move towards a successful conclusion. 

Lessons learned

1. Recognizing the common anxieties experienced by product owners and project managers in consulting scenarios.
2. Understanding the neurological relationship between anxiety and enthusiasm and how this knowledge can be leveraged in a consulting context.
3. Developing strategies to reframe anxiety as enthusiasm to improve project communication and maintain project momentum.
4. Learning to focus and channel energy from anxious situations into positive outcomes for team and project progression.

References:

“Physiologically anxiety and excitement are very similar. The difference is in our interpretation. If we were stepping onto a sports field for the game of our lives and the crowd was roaring and music playing, that feeling would be invaluable. Enhanced vision, hearing, extra adrenaline for increased performance. It’s exactly what you need at that moment. Listen to the sports star being interviewed after his debut game: ‘So were you nervous?’ ‘No, I was just super excited, couldn’t wait to get out there and help my team.'”

Tim JP Collins. Excerpt taken from Are Anxiety and Excitement the Same?

“My findings demonstrate the profound control and influence we each have over our own emotions. The way we verbalize and think about our feelings helps to construct the way we actually feel. Saying “I am excited” represents a simple, minimal intervention that can be used quickly and easily to prime an opportunity mind-set and improve performance. This tool may be particularly helpful for managers in organizations to motivate their employees. For example, advising employees to say “I am excited” before important performance tasks or simply encouraging them to “get excited” may increase their confidence, improve performance, and boost beliefs in their ability to perform well in the future. Studies 1 and 2 demonstrate that saying “I am excited” improves subsequent performance, but the converse may also be true. Highly skilled individuals may be more likely to say “I am excited” before they tackle challenging tasks. In this way, emotional self statements could operate in an upward spiral process in which successful individuals are more likely to express excitement, and saying “I am excited” then improves subsequent performance.”

Dr. Alison Wood Brooks. Excerpt taken from Get Excited: Reappraising Pre-Performance Anxiety as Excitement

Preparation can be your ticket out of anxiety

“Planning for upcoming events can also help you feel more secure.

For example, if you put extra time into learning lyrics, you’re less likely to forget them at the gig — and you’ll know you’ve put in that time, which should make you feel way better about it.

You may be less anxious about flying if you know you’re prepared with all your favorite comforts, distractions, and other stuff you want to bring on your trip. Make a list and prep a day or two before you fly.

Similarly, you can have talking points written out for a presentation or be prepared with some small talk or anecdotes for a party.

Prep is not about catastrophizing and playing out all the worst possible outcomes — it’s about doing what you can to feel and stay confident in scenarios that make you uncomfortable.

Once one of these situations goes your way, you can start to build a library of positive references — moments you can remember and say “Hey, that wasn’t so bad after all.””

Helaina Hovitz. Excerpt taken from Some Simple Ways to Turn Anxiety into Excitement