Day 3, Tip #3 of 2017 WGI Finals week – final touches and only a few rehearsals left. What pre-performance routine do you use to bring out your best? Each day this week, I’ll be sharing a tip on how you can give your best performance. The following is an excerpt from a previously published post on Medium.
3. Create a routine
Humans are creatures of habit, and this can be used to your advantage. Find which rituals or habits you can pair with your best performance. What kind of music do you listen to beforehand? Pre-show high five? Do you get excited or prefer to keep quietly to yourself?
During my first summer of tour, we would stay in our “serious drumline vibe” when walking from the parking lot warm-up to the stadium. In contrast, during my second summer, we were given the freedom to casually stroll from the lot to the stadium, often chatting in pairs, trios, or left to our own thoughts. Letting each performer choose how they wanted to prepare was a chance for me to discover how I prepared best.
Some people prefer to think of getting into performance mode as a “light switch” where they just turn it on. Others may try a “slow burn” approach — like lighting a candle or fuse and gradually intensifying the focus & energy to the moment you walk up to the gate.
Discovering what works best for you will take time. Experiment and realize that this is a skill you can and should practice.
Action
What pre-performance routine do you use to bring out your best? Share below with a comment!
Thanks for reading! 🙂 If you enjoyed it and know someone with an upcoming performance, use the social media icons below to share. Would mean a lot to me and it helps other people see the story. Thanks!
-Huei
HUEI-YUAN PAN 