The Hidden Power of Anxiety: Reframing Anxiety as Focus and Motivation

We often get trapped into thinking that we need to rid ourselves of all the stress and anxiety in our lives to be happy or successful.

However, the truth is that small amounts of stress and anxiety can actually be very beneficial toward living a healthy life.

When we have anxiety, it means that we have a worry or concern about the future. This may appear to be a bad thing on the surface, but it can actually be a hidden motivator.

Healthy amounts of anxiety put pressure on you to focus, take action, and be productive.

This is especially true when that anxiety is directed toward something that we have power and control over.

The “Serenity Prayer” is always a great message to keep in mind…“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”

Anxiety as motivation is specifically focused on the “courage to change the things I can” line.

Here are a few examples:

• When we have anxiety about an upcoming exam, that can motivate us to study and better prepare ourselves.
• When we have anxiety before a big presentation, that can sharpen our focus and determination to do our best.
• When we have anxiety about our health, that can motivate us to start exercising more and eating healthier.
• When we have anxiety about any uncertain situation in our lives, that can motivate us to reach out to others and talk about it.

In many ways, anxiety is an appropriate and useful response to various situations in our lives that we want to fix or change.

The important question to ask yourself is: “How can my anxiety motivate me to make a positive change? How can I channel this energy into action?”

Let’s learn more about how “anxiety” and “motivation” are related to each other.

Changing your beliefs about anxiety

One interesting experiment at the Emotion, Health, And Psychophysiology Laboratory at Harvard University examined how our beliefs about anxiety can have a significant impact on our lives.

Researchers studied undergraduates who were preparing for the GRE by taking a practice exam. They separated the students into groups, then told one of the groups that according to recent research anxiety has shown to help test-takers.

The study concluded that individuals who were told that their anxiety was beneficial ended up performing better on the exam.

These same individuals also reported an increased response in their sympathetic nervous system – a sign that they were more focused on facing a challenge head-on – similar to our “fight, flight, or freeze” response.

Another study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found that trying to channel your anxious energy may be more effective than trying to calm yourself down in certain situations.

When participants were asked to say to themselves “I am excited,” rather than “I am calm” they were shown to improve their performance in a wide-range of different tasks, including giving a public speech, solving difficult math problems, and even karaoke.

Psychologist Alison Woods Brooks states…

“When you feel anxious, you’re ruminating too much and focusing on potential threats. In those circumstances, people should try to focus on the potential opportunities. It really does pay to be positive, and people should say they are excited. Even if they don’t believe it at first, saying ‘I’m excited’ out loud increases authentic feelings of excitement.”

Overall, psychologists find that by thinking of anxiety in a different way we can channel our “nervous energy” into focus and motivation.

In fact, the benefits of this simple cognitive restructuring (or “reframing”) of anxiety lasted a surprising long time: over a month later, students that received instructions that “anxiety was helpful for test-takers” also performed better on the real GRE.

And another study published in the Journal of Individual Differences discovered that those who viewed stressful events as challenges – rather than threats – gained energy from their anxiety and improved their performance. This is another type of reframe that can help us during difficult times.

Professional athletes, actors, musicians, comedians, and other performers often experience a wave of anxiety before a big game or big performance, but they understand that this is ultimately energy they can channel into focus and motivation.

With practice, you can channel your anxiety in the same way.

Anxiety and motivation on a biological level

How we interpret the meaning of our experiences can make a world of difference in how we respond to them.

Biologically, anxiety and motivation are very similar – both are boosted when our bodies release hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.

The key difference between these two experiences (“anxiety” and “motivation”) is how we interpret this “boost in energy.”

When we see our boost in energy as something that is motivating or inspiring, then we can channel that energy into something positive and beneficial.

But when we see that boost in energy as fear or anxiety, then we usually try to fight that energy and it ends up wearing us down and inhibiting us.

How to harness the power of anxiety in your daily life

Here’s more advice on how to harness the hidden power of anxiety in your daily life.

• Accept your anxiety. The first step is to always accept your feelings. You can’t respond to them in a healthy way if you don’t acknowledge that they exist. And in fact, studies show that labeling your emotions in the moment, can help you overcome negative emotions quicker. Don’t be afraid to say: “I am anxious.”
• Question your anxiety. Now that you’ve accepted your feelings, it’s time to step back and analyze them. Questioning your feelings can help you become more aware of where your anxiety comes from, what is triggering your anxiety, and what it is motivating you to do.
• Channel the energy. Anxiety is always motivated us to do something. That’s often why the more you sit, think, and worry, the more the energy continues to build and build. You have to find some way to channel it. If it’s anxiety about a situation you have some control over, then use that as energy to be proactive and find solutions. If it’s anxiety about something you have zero control over, then try channeling that energy into a different direction: writing, being creative, or reaching out to chat with someone.
• Take time to relax and recharge. Anxiety can be motivating, but it can also be draining afterwards. While it’s important to push yourself and motivate yourself, it’s also important to know when to take a step back and recharge yourself. Feel free to go inside your “comfort zone” after a long and stressful day. Knowing when to take breaks and relax is essential to maximizing your energy and motivation in the long-term.

Of course, the main lesson of this article isn’t that all anxiety is good, but to show you that it can be a normal and healthy response to many situations in life.

Often people with high anxiety levels have “excess energy,” but when they learn to channel that energy in a healthy direction, it can become a superpower.

In what ways can your anxiety serve a purpose? In what ways can your anxiety empower you to take action?

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