There’s nothing anyone can do to stop you from feeling nervous: only you can by using mind over matter. That’s tough – especially when something matters as much like getting hired. Your mind is like the solar panel of your organism – it communicates every thought to the rest of your body. Your mind creates your reality as you see it. As you see it – not as anyone else sees it. Therefore only you can reign in your nerves effectively. What’s the first step?

There are physiological aspects to ‘nerves’ usually characterized by sweaty palms, breathlessness and an increased heart rate. Under the intense scrutiny of an job interview, your heart will race, your adrenaline will be pumping and you’ll probably speak faster than you can think. While this is a perfectly natural response to stress, that’s when you’re in danger of losing focus.

Breathe deeply, quiet the mind and connect with your natural rhythm. In doing so, you will become much more aware of time. This is one way to calm down and counter-act the negative effects of nervousness. If you’re an endurance athlete, you’re in luck because your heart rate’s probably about 60 beats per minute (bpm) and that means you’ve got a built-in clock! The average resting heart rate is about 70 bpm for adult males and 75 bpm for adult females, though these figures vary significantly based on fitness, age and genetics.

Take a few moments and find out what yours resting bpm is. Use a stop watch or a wrist watch. Your breath is the key here – if you can successfully breathe deeply, down to the bottom of your lungs, you’re well on your way to dealing with your nerves. Make sure you’re not breathing shallow and up into your shoulders. How can you tell?

Watch yourself in the mirror as you inhale. Are your shoulders rising with your in-breath? If they are, you’re not breathing into the lower part of your lungs – you only think you are. If you’re doing it right, your belly will expand as you breathe in, and contract as you breathe out.

Connect with your resting bpm and your breath. Allow them to ground and calm you as you become more and more aware of them.

What’s the next step?