Perform Like a Champion: The Power of Acting As If
- joannalatalacello
- Apr 21
- 5 min read
Updated: May 16
As a musician, you know that success doesn’t come easily. It requires talent, dedication, and hard work. But beyond these qualities lies another crucial factor that can distinguish a mediocre performance from a truly outstanding one: mindset.
The way we think about ourselves and our abilities has a powerful impact on our performance. If we approach our craft with a negative or defeatist attitude, we’re more likely to make mistakes, succumb to nerves, and fail to connect with our audience. Conversely, adopting a positive and confident mindset can help us play with skill, passion, and ease.
~Theodore Roosevelt
Acting as a Winner
One of the most powerful mindsets you can adopt as a musician is to act as if you are already a winner. This means embodying the qualities of a champion—confidence, determination, focus, and resilience—and letting these qualities guide your actions and attitude. Acting as a winner doesn’t imply arrogance or overconfidence. Rather, it’s about believing in your potential and preparing yourself to achieve your goals.
Here are some practical ways to adopt this mindset:
1. Set Clear Goals
Start by setting specific, measurable, and achievable goals for your performance. Whether it’s mastering a difficult passage, conveying deep emotion, or maintaining perfect rhythm, having clear objectives keeps you focused and motivated. Write these goals down and review them regularly.
2. Practice Positive Self-Talk
Your inner dialogue shapes your confidence and attitude. Replace negative thoughts with affirmations like, “I am a skilled and talented musician,” “I am ready to give my best performance,” or “I have prepared well, and I trust in my abilities.” Repeating these phrases can help you build resilience and focus.
3. Visualize Success
Visualization is a powerful mental training tool. Picture yourself succeeding in vivid detail—hear the applause, see yourself performing flawlessly, and feel the joy and pride of accomplishment. Visualization primes your mind for success and builds a positive emotional connection with your goals.
4. Adopt Confident Body Language
Your posture and body language can influence your mindset. Stand tall, keep your shoulders back, and maintain a relaxed but alert demeanor. These physical cues send signals to your brain that reinforce feelings of confidence and control.
The "Act as If" Technique
An effective method to cultivate a winning mindset is the "Act as If" technique. This involves imagining yourself as the person you want to become and behaving as though you’ve already achieved your goals. Here’s how you can use it:
Identify Your Desired Outcome: Define what success looks like for you. It could be nailing a challenging piece, captivating an audience, or impressing judges at an audition.
Visualize in Detail: Spend time imagining your success. Engage all your senses—hear the music, see the setting, and feel the emotions of accomplishment.
Embody Success: Act as if you’ve already achieved your goals. Adjust your posture, expressions, and demeanor to reflect confidence and self-assurance.
Practice Regularly: Make the "Act as If" technique part of your routine. Use it during rehearsals, before performances, and even in daily practice to solidify this mindset.
~Wayne Dyer
Examples of Success
The "Act as If" technique isn’t exclusive to musicians. It’s widely used across disciplines, including sports and business. Legendary basketball player Michael Jordan used visualization and mental rehearsal to overcome fear of failure and elevate his performance. Similarly, actors often step into their roles by embodying the character’s mindset and behaviors, enhancing their portrayal and connection with the audience.
Why This Matters Beyond Music
Acting as a winner and adopting the "Act as If" technique isn’t just about musical success. It’s about cultivating a mindset that empowers you in all areas of life. By approaching challenges with confidence, focus, and determination, you’ll find yourself better equipped to achieve your goals and lead a fulfilling life.
My Story
I would like to share with you how I used the methods. After reading a few books where the methods were presented, I decided to try to transform the methods for musicians in a specific way. Each of us has a favorite musician or performer who makes us smile and whom we just love watching perform. For me—surprisingly—it wasn’t any cellist, but it was, and still is, the violinist Janine Jansen. For many years, I only saw her on YouTube or TV. A few years ago, I had the privilege of listening to her live, and it didn’t disappoint. The magic atmosphere she creates, the way she holds the instrument, creates and leads the musical line and phrase, the way she acts on stage, her softness, freshness, and femininity always touched me, and I felt somehow very connected to her personality.
I decided to connect these methods with my favorite musician. So I watched her play very carefully on YouTube recordings—over and over—and focused on her body movements. I’ve always been a little envious that violinists can move their legs more and flow with the music. I closed my eyes and imagined myself doing her movements while playing. I pictured myself in my head as if I were her... and surprisingly, the way of phrasing the music I wanted to express came to me so easily. The musical lines became clearer, and I felt much more confident. After a few weeks of practicing with this method, I discovered that I no longer needed to picture myself as Janine. It became natural for me to be myself in this way, and I started to feel much more comfortable and confident.
I’m sure you can do this as well if I could. I encourage you to choose a performer you like, ask yourself very carefully why this person is so special to you, and start practicing by picturing yourself copying their movements and way of behaving. You will be surprised how much freedom this method will give you and how much it will help build your confidence.
In concluson, success in music, as in life, is as much about mindset as it is about skill. By embracing the "Act as If" method, you can reduce anxiety, build confidence, and unlock your full potential. Approach every performance as if you’re already a winner, and watch how your mindset transforms not only your music but your entire life.
Take the first step today: Act as if, and let the magic unfold.
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If you would like to read more about the Act As If method, I encourage you to read the book :
" The As If Principle" by Richard Wiseman
