A hot tip to battle performance anxiety? 'Pretend flush' a mistake down the toilet

Worried about stumbling before a high-stakes event, like a race or a job interview? Psychologist Cindra Kamphoff offers creative strategies to overcome the jitters and build confidence in the moment.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/7697x5134+0+0/resize/7697x5134!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F08%2F74%2Fc444c85b45ba965b396c2c03bc1f%2Fgettyimages-1352881588.jpg' alt='Don't let negative thoughts or fear mess with your performance. Psychologist Cindra Kamphoff, who helps athletes and business leaders keep their confidence in high-stakes situations, offers anxiety-busting tools from her new book.'/><p>Worried about stumbling before a high-stakes event, like a race or a job interview? Psychologist Cindra Kamphoff offers creative strategies to overcome the jitters and build confidence in the moment.</p><p>(Image credit: Anton Vierietin/Getty Images)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5989391' />