Imagine if, instead of dreading interview anxiety, you saw it as your unexpected ally.
David Rosmarin, who founded an anxiety treatment center, suggests that shifting how we view anxiety might reveal strengths we didn’t know we had.
In Thriving with Anxiety: 9 Tools to Make Your Anxiety Work for You, Rosmarin, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, presents his transformative approach to managing anxiety:
Instead of viewing anxiety solely as a hindrance, Rosmarin advocates for harnessing its energy to foster personal growth and resilience.
The book outlines these practical strategies designed to help individuals utilize anxiety as a tool for self-improvement:
🗸 Self-Awareness and Acceptance: Recognize and accept your anxiety as a natural part of the human experience, which can lead to greater self-understanding and compassion.
🗸 Emotional Intimacy: Use anxiety to deepen your relationships by fostering empathy and open communication.
🗸 Resilience Building: Channel anxious energy into developing resilience, enabling you to navigate life’s challenges more effectively.
🗸 Life Acceptance: Embrace life’s uncertainties and imperfections, reducing the stress associated with trying to control every outcome.
🗸 Goal Achievement: Leverage anxiety as a motivator to pursue and accomplish your personal and professional goals.
🗸 Spiritual Connection: Explore how anxiety can enhance your spiritual awareness and connection, leading to a more meaningful life.
🗸 Understanding Others: Utilize your experiences with anxiety to better understand and relate to the emotions of those around you.
🗸 Positive Spirals: Replace negative thought patterns with positive ones, creating a constructive cycle that diminishes the impact of anxiety.
🗸 Facing Fears: Engage in exposure exercises to confront and reduce specific anxieties, thereby diminishing their power over you.
Rosmarin’s evidence-based approach encourages readers to view anxiety not as a burden to be eliminated but as a potential asset that, when managed properly, can lead to a more fulfilling and connected life.
My take: Instead of treating those pre-interview nerves as a weakness, what if you recognized them as a natural boost in self-awareness and motivation?
Those jitters are actually your body gearing up to take on challenges and help you reach for your goals. Sometimes, feeling nervous is a sign that you’re about to do something meaningful—that you’re on the edge of personal growth.
So, how can you harness this energy?
Start with solid preparation: Really get to know the company and practice common interview questions with someone you trust. When you’re practicing your responses, try shifting nervousness into excitement.
Rather than seeing the interview as a high-stakes test, view it as a two-way conversation—a chance to see if the role aligns with your own values and ambitions. And if those butterflies kick in during the interview, take a deep breath, or even laugh off any small missteps; those moments reveal your passion and genuine commitment.
Remember that interviews are as much about fit as they are about skill. Keep boosting yourself with affirmations like “I am valuable” and “I belong here.” After all, pursuing new opportunities is about stepping into the unknown for the sake of growth—and each nervous moment is bringing you closer to that next big step forward.
Want to work with me on preparing for your interview? I can help you with actionable strategies and practice. Email at ruth@confidentcareersearch.com.
