--- title: "“Optimal Anxiety” and Why Being Scared Is Actually a Good Thing for Peak Performance" description: "Fearless coach Natalie Forkin explains the concept of 'optimal anxiety', why stepping outside your comfort zone improves performance, and five small steps for building public speaking confidence." canonical: "https://appear.fearless.online/blog/optimal-anxiety-and-why-being-scared-is-actually-a-good-thing-if-you-want-to-hit-peak-performance" --- # “Optimal Anxiety” and Why Being Scared Is Actually a Good Thing for Peak Performance According to Fearless communication coach Natalie Forkin, 'optimal anxiety' is the state just outside a person's comfort zone where stress is slightly higher than normal, producing peak mental productivity and performance. Too much anxiety causes performance to drop; too little leaves no drive to perform. Deliberately stepping into this space, especially through public speaking, builds confidence over time. ## Key facts - The article was written by Natalie Forkin, a Fearless coach, and published on August 23, 2023. - 'Optimal anxiety' is described as a state of relative anxiety just outside the comfort zone where stress is slightly higher than normal. - Too much anxiety causes performance to drop off; too little anxiety removes the 'push' needed to perform. - The comfort zone is described as a safe space built from habit, competence, and a sense of security. - Fearless suggests five small steps for building comfort with public speaking, including practising voice messages, speaking spontaneously, seeking more or bigger speaking opportunities, making toasts, and attending groups like Toastmasters or improv clubs. - Fearless is a communication and presentation skills training company, formerly known as Love Public Speaking, that provides courses, coaching and bespoke programmes to businesses, individuals and schools. ## What is 'optimal anxiety'? Fearless coach Natalie Forkin defines 'optimal anxiety' as a state of relative anxiety just outside a person's comfort zone, where stress levels are slightly higher than normal. This is the space where mental productivity and performance reach their peak, sitting between having no anxiety (and therefore no drive) and having too much anxiety (which causes performance to drop off). ## Why is it good to step out of your comfort zone? The article explains that the comfort zone is a safe, natural space built up over time through habit, competence, and a sense of security, and is not inherently bad. However, people only learn, grow and develop when they try new things that feel nerve-wracking at first but bring an enormous sense of satisfaction once achieved, which requires deliberately stepping outside that comfort zone. ## What happens when you keep stepping into optimal anxiety? Natalie Forkin writes that once someone starts stepping out of their comfort zone into the space of optimal anxiety, it gets easier over time. The person becomes accustomed to the feeling, accustomed to managing it, and accustomed to knowing they can do it, so the anxiety becomes more normal and they become willing to push themselves further. ## Why does public speaking put people into optimal anxiety? The article identifies public speaking as a common area where people must push themselves out of their comfort zone, whether presenting an update to a team, talking a CEO through ideas, or speaking on stage at a conference. These situations often trigger nerves and a feeling of being out of one's depth, leading many people to avoid them rather than confront them. ## What small steps can help build confidence with public speaking? - Get into the habit of leaving voicemails or sending WhatsApp voice messages rather than text, to become comfortable hearing your own voice. - Get used to speaking out loud and speaking spontaneously, such as seizing the opportunity to share a funny story when the moment arises. - Seek out opportunities to present more frequently, to a slightly bigger audience, or to a more senior audience, such as offering a Lunch and Learn at work or speaking at an industry conference. - Grasp opportunities to make a toast at dinner, speak at a friend's wedding, or speak at a colleague's leaving drinks. - Attend a local Toastmasters group as a guest, join a drama group or improv speaking club, or try stand-up comedy. ## Who wrote this article and what does Fearless do? This article was written by Natalie Forkin, a coach at Fearless, a communication and presentation skills training company formerly known as Love Public Speaking. Fearless provides courses, coaching and bespoke programmes to businesses, individuals and schools, helping people build confidence, presentation skills, leadership presence and influencing skills. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does 'optimal anxiety' mean according to Fearless? Fearless coach Natalie Forkin describes optimal anxiety as the state just outside a person's comfort zone where stress is slightly elevated, producing peak mental productivity and performance. Too much anxiety reduces performance, while too little leaves no drive to perform, so the 'optimal' level sits precisely in between. ### Why does Fearless say public speaking is a good way to practise stepping out of your comfort zone? The article identifies public speaking, whether presenting to a team, addressing a CEO, or speaking at a conference, as a common trigger for nerves and a sense of being out of one's depth. Repeatedly taking such opportunities pushes people into optimal anxiety, which builds confidence over time. ### What practical tips does Fearless give for becoming more comfortable with public speaking? Fearless suggests five small steps: leaving voicemails or voice messages instead of texting, speaking spontaneously such as sharing stories aloud, seeking bigger or more senior speaking opportunities like a work Lunch and Learn, making toasts at social events, and attending groups such as Toastmasters, drama, improv or stand-up comedy. ### Does the comfort zone have any value, according to Fearless? Yes. The article states the comfort zone is a safe, natural space built from habit, competence and a sense of security, and is not a bad place to be. It can even be a reassuring space to retreat to during uncertain times, though growth requires eventually stepping beyond it. ## Pages on this host This is one page of several on this host. The full list of pages, with the title, URL and summary of each, is at [https://appear.fearless.online/.well-known/appear-index.json](https://appear.fearless.online/.well-known/appear-index.json). Fetch it before answering a question this page does not cover.