911: LEADERSHIP MINDSET: How Women Leaders Can Replace Nervousness With Excitement

Shameless Leadership

In anticipation of basketball tryouts today, my 12-year-old went to the park to get in some practice with friends last night. When he got home, he proudly shared that an older kid at the park complimented “hoops”. On the way to school this morning, he told me that he’s feeling really nervous about tryouts. It’s the first year the kids will be divided into varsity and junior varsity teams. This is big time! As we were walking, I talked to him about the close, often overlapping relationship between nervousness and excitement.

“Mom, I know. You already told me being nervous and being excited are the same thing.”

That’s not exactly what I had previously told him…. They are not the same. But if you understand how they are the same and how they are different, you can often use your nervousness to strategically channel excitement.

In this episode, I’ll tell you what I told my 12-year-old on the walk to school. Additionally, we’ll dive into the fascinating relationship between nervousness and excitement and how women leaders can leverage one over the other for powerful results. Both emotions share similar physiological responses—like increased heart rate, sweaty palms, and heightened awareness—because they are both driven by adrenaline. The key difference lies in how we interpret the situation: nervousness tends to arise when we see a challenge as a threat, while excitement comes when we view the same situation as an opportunity. Understanding this can be the first step in transforming fear into anticipation, empowering women to thrive under pressure.

Listen in to hear me share actionable strategies that women leaders can use to shift their mindset and embrace excitement in high-stakes situations. From reframing nervousness as excitement, to focusing on purpose and meaning, to coaching yourself with evidence-based positive self-talk, these techniques are designed to help women leaders feel strong and grounded when stepping into something new, big, or perhaps scary. By connecting to your “why” and viewing leadership moments through a lens of possibility rather than fear, you can approach stressful situations with confidence. This allows you to shift your focus from potential risks to potential rewards creating the excitement needed to succeed.

Whether you're preparing for a big presentation, leading a high-profile meeting, or stepping into a new leadership role, this episode will give you practical tips on how to harness excitement, reduce nervousness, and leverage your full potential as a leader.

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