Better performance using EFT

I first learned about the Emotional Freedom Technique from my Dad, Charlie Metzger, but he was using it for health rather than improving performance.  Now I warn you, some dyed-in-the-wool rationalists are going to find that the whole concept of EFT makes them uncomfortable.  To them I have two things to say.

First, just because you can't figure out how something works and can't explain it doesn't mean it's invalid.  Especially when it works as well as EFT seems to work.  I mean come on, explain to me how placebos work!  You're not going to argue that placebos don't work, are you?  The whole FDA approval process is based on a drug performing marginally better than a placebo!  So placebos work, but if you want an explanation of WHY they work you'll have to ask Deepak Chopra, not me.

Second, if you think I'm a young upstart maverick just making this stuff up, talk to my Dad!

So now that we're over the skepticism hurdle, what is EFT?  EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Technique.  It's related to acupuncture and acupressure, both of which are based on the Eastern concept of Chi.  Chi is like energy that moves through your body, and if your Chi gets blocked, you will develop issues.  The issues can manifest physically, like a backache, or emotionally, like depression.  My Mom gets acupuncture for a soft tissue injury she received in a car accident years ago, and it's the only thing she has found that takes away the pain.  The Chinese have been doing this stuff for thousands of years, and if it didn't work, I think they would have stopped!  (Don't get me started about the irrationality of the Western brand of medicine - oh yes, we have a pill for you!)

EFT is basically repeating an assertion in the form, "Even though [something you want to fix], I deeply and completely accept myself" as you tap on various meridians around the body.  Some of the points are shown in the diagram to the right.  You can learn exactly where to tap by reading this.  So it's extremely simple to learn.

So as a performer, how does EFT relate to you and your concerns?  How can EFT make you a better performer?  Well in this article, EFT guru Gary Craig discusses a wonderful concept called the "comfort zone."  Whether you are an athlete or a stage performer, your comfort zone is the level of performance where you feel you belong.  It's tied up right at the core of you, in your identity or self-concept.  For a golfer, maybe you feel that you "are a mid-80's golfer."  If you're in a barbershop quartet, you might feel you are a "high 60's" quartet.  This is your comfort zone.  And because you are human, you will tend to behave in ways that will ensure that you stay there.

Yes, once again it seems that you are just getting in your own way.  This concept makes complete sense to me, because time and time again I have seen groups perform "above their level" because of one kind of trick or another.  Often just asking for better tuning, and asserting that they can do it, you will get it.  Get someone to believe they are an effective, engaging public speaker, and they will become so.  It's a very self-fulfilling thing.  We're not talking about telekenesis here - the performance realm is full of head games.

So how does EFT play into this?  Well EFT can remove the emotional barriers that you have, that prevent you from achieving outside your comfort zone.  For example, tap your meridians and say "even though I have never scored high enough to go to the international contest, I deeply and completely accept myself."  Or this one: "Even though I got a lukewarm review out of my last acting job, I deeply and completely accept myself."  The phrase can and should be tailored to your own situation.

One really obvious application of EFT is in the management of stage fright.  It might enable you to bypass weeks of work, and save thousands of dollars on talk-therapy with a highly-paid psychologist.

I would encourage you to read the whole article on EFT and performance.  It should take about five minutes of your time.

One way to explain how we're getting in our own way here is to consider the penalties, real or imagined, involved in achieving above our comfort zone.  Maybe if you started singing better, you would have to stop seeing the vocal instructor you're so fond of.  Maybe if you were able to really commit to a vivid, impactful scenario, your peer group would think you were showing off!  Try to find the penalties that keep you in your comfort zone - just asking yourself the question, "what would happen if...." might bring them quickly to mind.

Have you ever tried EFT in a performance scenario?  Tell us about it!  If you haven't yet, give it a try and report back to the Owning The Stage community.