Psyched Up

How can you summon confidence and calm in those pivotal moments—before a presentation, an interview, or a performance—when everything is on the line? In Psyched Up, Daniel McGinn argues that the key to peak performance lies not only in practice and preparation, but in the final few minutes before we perform. Drawing from research across psychology, neuroscience, the military, and elite sports, McGinn contends that mastering these moments through intentional 'psych-up rituals' can profoundly improve outcomes.

From Practice to Performance

We live in what McGinn calls the “Shark Tank economy”—a world where success often hinges on thin slices of time: a pitch, a speech, an audition, or an exam. Practice builds skill, but when it’s time to deliver, rehearsal is over. What matters most is how you manage adrenaline, anxiety, and emotion in those crucial moments before stepping on stage or into the spotlight. Most people waste this window, while high performers use systematic routines to channel their emotions and reach an optimal psychological state.

McGinn opens with the story of neurosurgeon Mark McLaughlin, who treats every operation as if prepared for athletic competition. His ritual—listening to Bach, drinking caffeine in measured doses, visualizing success, and even injecting “lucky” doses ending in 9—is designed to put his mind into a controlled focus. For McGinn, this mindset shift is what separates the merely prepared from the optimally primed.

The Science Behind the Psych-Up

The book explores the biological roots of pre-performance stress: the fight-or-flight adrenaline response that speeds heartbeats and clouds decision-making. Psychologists like Noa Kageyama at Juilliard teach performers to work with that energy rather than against it. Using techniques like “centering” and “reappraisal,” students learn to interpret nervousness as excitement—transforming dread into fuel. Harvard’s Alison Wood Brooks confirms this through experiments showing that simply saying “I’m excited” before anxious tasks can dramatically improve performance.

This shift from anxiety to excitement builds on the Yerkes-Dodson Law—the idea that moderate stress optimizes performance. Too much calm or too much panic both hinder results. Finding the sweet spot of arousal, McGinn explains, is like adjusting a volume knob, not flipping an on/off switch.

Rituals, Superstitions, and Psychological Anchors

Just as athletes repeat precise pregame routines, performers of all kinds benefit from ritualized actions. Jerry Seinfeld’s fixed habit of putting on his jacket five minutes before going on stage or Stephen Colbert’s complex backstage sequence—even chewing a specific brand of Bic pen—creates a mental “launch sequence” that signals their brains to perform. Rituals help establish control in uncontrollable circumstances.

These rituals often border on superstition, and McGinn explains how irrational behaviors can sometimes yield rational benefits. NASCAR crew chief Chad Knaus’s bonsai-watering ritual or Wade Boggs's lucky pregame chicken meal may seem silly, but by creating structure, they soothe nerves and build confidence. Harvard researcher Michael Norton adds scientific weight, showing how both solo and group rituals—such as team chants or synchronized claps—boost cohesion and performance through reduced anxiety.

A Toolkit for Performing Under Pressure

Through studies and anecdotes ranging from elite athletes to sales reps at Yelp, McGinn distills the psych-up process into manageable techniques. It can involve tactical breathing (centering), priming through imagery or music, reframing emotions (as excitement), or tapping into confidence through affirmations, lucky tokens, or team rituals. These tools give performers ways to calibrate emotion, motivation, and focus on demand.

Ultimately, McGinn’s thesis is both scientific and practical: while the hard work of mastery happens during practice, true peak performance arises in those final moments before we act. Whether you’re closing a sale, giving a talk, or playing in the championship, success comes down to how you manage your emotional energy—how you get psyched up.

This book offers a framework for mastering those moments. You'll learn to reframe fear into excitement, craft pre-performance rituals like pros do, harness rivalry as motivation, and even explore controversial tools like beta-blockers and modafinil. It’s about achieving composure, confidence, and clarity at the very moment you need it most.

McGinn begins with the biological truth: anxiety and adrenaline are not your enemies—they’re raw fuel. The challenge is directing that energy toward focus instead of fear. Drawing from Juilliard professor Noa Kageyama’s work with musicians, he shows that our body’s fight-or-flight response can be transformed into readiness through practice and reframing.

Reappraisal: From Fear to Excitement

Harvard researcher Alison Wood Brooks proved that simply telling yourself “I’m excited” instead of “I’m nervous” measurably improves performance on tasks ranging from public speaking to math tests. Anxiety and excitement share physiological traits—the pounding heart, the rush of blood, the jumpy anticipation—but differ only in interpretation. In Brooks’s study, singers who said “I’m excited” before performing did dramatically better than those who said “I’m anxious” or nothing at all.

This approach shifts the performer’s goal: instead of seeking calm, which can feel impossible when adrenaline surges, you simply redirect it. As McGinn writes, “Don’t fight the nervousness; reframe it.” This technique echoes the wisdom of sports psychologists like Yuri Hanin, whose Individualized Zones of Optimal Functioning model lets athletes fine-tune emotions like a soundboard, mixing energy, confidence, and intensity for maximum effect.

Centering and Controlled Breathing

Another method is “centering,” developed by Don Greene, a psychologist who worked with elite athletes and Juilliard students. It’s a seven-step breathing and grounding process that transforms the chaotic surge of nerves into centered calm. Instead of resisting adrenaline, performers accept and channel it, using short doses of mindfulness to focus intention and release muscle tension. (“The whole idea behind finding your center is to feel rooted, grounded, stabilized—and in control of your energy,” Greene teaches.)

Finding the Sweet Spot

The century-old Yerkes-Dodson Law supports this balanced approach. The relationship between arousal and performance isn’t linear; it’s an inverted U. People perform best at moderate levels of stress. Too little energy can cause underperformance, while too much can produce panic. Skill lies in using routines, breathing, and self-talk to find this midpoint—where focus and energy meet.

When Juilliard students endure Kageyama’s “adversity audition,” where judges eat chips and phones ring mid-performance, those who’ve mastered this sweet spot can still deliver flawless music. The same principle applies to you: embrace physiological excitement as readiness, not panic.

In short, nerves are not a sign of weakness—they’re energy you can harness. Reframing excitement, centering, and regulating emotional volume are foundational tools that help transform fear into focus and performance into mastery.

One of McGinn’s most surprising conclusions is that small, repetitive behaviors—rituals, routines, even superstitions—have profound psychological benefits. These actions give your brain a roadmap for performance, creating stability and control when uncertainty reigns.

Pre-Performance Routines

From Jerry Seinfeld’s exact timing to put on his blazer before walking on stage, to Stephen Colbert’s elaborate ritual of ringing a bell, touching crew members’ hands, and slapping his face before his show, performers rely on routines to signal “go mode.” Psychologists Stewart Cotterill and Atul Gawande show these routines help athletes and surgeons alike sharpen focus and reduce error.

These activities are task-related—actions that directly prepare the body and mind to perform. But when such routines extend into symbolic territory, they become rituals: actions done the same way every time, regardless of function. It’s the repeated doing that matters.

Superstition as Confidence

Superstitions add magical meaning to these behaviors. Wade Boggs eating chicken before every game and writing Hebrew letters in dirt, or NASCAR’s Chad Knaus watering his bonsai tree before races, use irrational acts to harness psychological certainty. They invoke what researchers call “contiguous events”—mistakenly linking unrelated things to success—but in doing so, they calm the performer.

Superstition may be irrational—but it’s functionally logical.

As Bud Light’s commercial slogan jokes, “It’s only weird if it doesn’t work.”

Rituals That Bind Groups

Harvard’s Michael Norton expands this concept to team rituals. Experiments where groups performed synchronized claps or chants before tasks showed measurable boosts in performance and cooperation. Broadway director Ian Rickson used group rituals—tossing balls and shouting words—to bond actors before shows, recalling similar practices in elite sports teams and military units. These actions create trust, displace anxiety, and align purpose.

Whether it’s personal superstition or team ritual, repetition creates psychological rhythm—a mental drumbeat that steadies your focus. For your own performances, crafting consistent rituals before key moments can help lock your mind into readiness and confidence.

Music is the most universal psych-up tool. McGinn explores how DJ TJ Connelly energizes crowds at Fenway Park and Gillette Stadium by reading emotional atmospheres and playing the perfect track—like Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” to revive the Patriots’ fans from despair. The science of motivational music, led by researcher Costas Karageorghis, backs what athletes instinctively know: rhythm and melody can deeply alter physiological and emotional states.

How Music Shapes Performance

Karageorghis found that rhythm and tempo synchronize movement and heartbeat; cultural association triggers powerful memories; and melody energizes or soothes depending on beat. “Music can be thought of as a legal performance-enhancing drug,” he writes. A song’s structure—its beats per minute, harmony, and familiarity—can make workouts easier, reduce perceived exertion, and enhance focus. For rhythmic tasks like running or cycling, tempo is crucial; slower tracks work best for cooldowns.

The best motivational songs combine intrinsic power (beat, melody) and personal association (memories of strength or triumph). That’s why “Eye of the Tiger,” written for the Rocky III soundtrack by Jim Peterik, remains iconic. Its pounding digga-digga heartbeat and conflict-driven lyrics mirror struggle and victory instinctively. Peterik himself called it “magic”—a sound that stimulates determination even decades later.

Music Beyond Sports

Office workers use similar soundtracks for focus or motivation. Research by Anneli Haake found that introverts perform worse with music unless noisy environments demand it, while extroverts thrive with background tunes. The key lies in personal choice: music must align with task complexity and listener temperament. Song selection should match mental states—energizing when you need drive, calming when you need composure.

From TJ Connelly’s curated Boston sports playlists to Spotify users’ “Get Psyched” lists dominated by 1980s rock, people instinctively choose music anchored in emotional memory. The right song becomes your personal ritual, flipping you from ordinary to optimal.

Music’s message is simple: sound drives state. Whether you’re preparing for an exam or entering a boardroom, the right rhythm can prime your body and mind for excellence.

What separates an inspiring leader’s words from hollow motivation? McGinn’s deep dive into pep talks—from battlefield generals to Yelp sales leaders—reveals that effective pre-performance communication blends emotion and information in equal measure.

From Rockne to Modern Nerd Whisperers

Early pep talks, typified by Knute Rockne’s “Win one for the Gipper,” relied on emotional storytelling and cinematic drama. But this fiery style, McGinn argues, doesn’t always translate to modern workplaces or sports. Leaders like Apple’s Bill Campbell shifted toward authenticity—urging CEOs to “show your heartbeat” rather than reciting clichés.

Even legendary coaches like Phil Jackson and Bill Belichick reject constant emotional hype. Jackson cultivates calm, using mindfulness, while Belichick prefers strategy over speeches, knowing that emotional wells “run dry.” Military leaders like Stanley McChrystal echo this sentiment: his five-part formula—define mission, explain importance, affirm capability, recall past success, and execute—prioritizes clarity and belief over bluster.

The Psychology of Persuasive Language

Studies by Tiffanye Vargas at Michigan State demonstrate that athletes respond differently depending on stakes and context: data-rich pep talks work best when facing unknown opponents; emotion-driven speeches shine in championship or underdog battles. Leaders blend both.

Motivating Language Theory

Effective motivational speech combines direction-giving (what to do), meaning-making (why it matters), and empathy (showing care). Achieving balance creates trust and drives engagement.

The Modern Pep Talk in Action

Yelp executive Erica Galos Alioto exemplifies this. Her “Last Day of the Month” address mixes concrete targets with personal energy rituals—jumping, shouting affirmations, and invoking shared goals. She practices weeks in advance, blending empathy (“We’ve all been there”) with actionable tactics. The result? Team energy spikes, sales rise, and employees leave believing in their own capability.

As McGinn concludes, good pep talks aren’t about shouting—they’re about syncing hearts and minds. Merging emotional resonance with clear instruction turns words into transformation.

Anger and rivalry might seem destructive—but used correctly, they can sharpen focus and intensify performance. McGinn recounts how coaches, CEOs, and psychologists experiment with these emotions as powerful motivators.

Anger as Controlled Energy

NBA legend Bob Cousy cultivated “killer instinct” by meditating on hatred for opponents before games. Psychologist Paul Davis notes that anger can enhance explosive strength sports like boxing or football, but harms fine motor tasks like golf. Negotiation research shows similar results—anger erodes cooperation and increases conflict unless meticulously controlled.

The key distinction: feeling anger privately may activate energy, but expressing it outwardly (like trash talk) risks backfire. Controlled, internalized aggression can fuel intensity without chaos.

Rivalry and Competition as Motivation

More productive is channeling competition itself. Norman Triplett’s pioneering 1898 study showed cyclists ride faster when racing others versus riding alone—a psychological “dynamogenic” effect. NYU psychologist Gavin Kilduff later proved that rivalry amplifies this drive further: evenly matched opponents, frequent encounters, and emotional stakes increase motivation and performance.

Business leaders harness rivalry too. T-Mobile CEO John Legere rebranded his company’s culture through aggressive public attacks on Verizon and AT&T, creating camaraderie by picking villains. By positioning employees as scrappy underdogs “sticking it to the man,” T-Mobile doubled its subscribers and revived morale. Jeff Bezos contrasts this approach with Amazon’s “customer obsession,” arguing each model works depending on role—leaders might fuel teams through competition or curiosity.

Used wisely, rivalry awakens drive, anger sharpens intensity, and shared opposition fosters unity. The trick is to keep hostility controlled and directed toward goals—not people.

Confidence isn’t luck—it’s engineered. McGinn reveals how modern sports psychology teaches athletes and professionals to strengthen mental toughness using visualization, affirmations, and even subconscious cues.

Visualization and Affirmation

At West Point’s Center for Enhanced Performance, psychologist Nate Zinsser helps athletes record personalized audio tracks combining music and scripted confidence statements (“I’m a relentless workhorse”). This merges research-based visualization and positive reinforcement. Hearing one’s own past achievements aloud primes belief and poise.

Such visualization reflects what golf psychologist Bob Rotella calls “staying in your own zone.” Seeing success vividly—like Edwin Moses walking the Olympic track to imagine victory—builds muscle memory for confidence.

Autopilot and the Brain’s Two Systems

Daniel Kahneman’s System 1 (automatic) and System 2 (deliberate) thinking explain how practiced behaviors free performers from the paralysis of overthinking. Speaker Jonathan Jenkins starts each presentation with his memorized autobiography, easing into flight on autopilot. University of Chicago psychologist Sian Beilock calls this preventing “explicit monitoring”—thinking so hard you choke. Wise performers design cues to let muscle memory take over when stakes rise.

Priming and Self-Belief

McGinn introduces “priming”—subtle subconscious activation of motivation through imagery. Psychologist Gary Latham found that workers who glimpsed a photo of a runner crossing the finish line raised more money in call centers. Amy Cuddy’s power posing—adopting expansive, confident body positions—elicits feelings of power, while Adam Galinsky’s journaling method works similarly, recalling times of strength.

Even environmental cues—posters, team mottos, or framed past successes—can prime confidence daily. As McGinn says, success is partly chemical, partly emotional, and largely environmental; subtle reminders keep belief alive.

The lesson is clear: train your mind like your muscles. Visualization, priming, and autopilot mental habits turn confidence from fleeting emotion into repeatable skill.

In his final chapter, McGinn addresses the controversial frontier of performance enhancement—using medications to prevent anxiety or boost focus. This exploration of beta-blockers and modafinil raises ethical and practical questions about where preparation ends and chemical aid begins.

Beta-Blockers: The Calm Pill

Widely used by musicians and public speakers, beta-blockers like propranolol mute the physical symptoms of stage fright: shaking, sweating, racing hearts. Professionals like journalist Scott Stossel and McGinn’s own peers credit them with transforming their careers. By suppressing adrenaline, they create physiological calm without affecting mental sharpness—calm confidence by chemistry.

Cognitive Enhancers: Focus in a Bottle

McGinn experiments personally with modafinil, a wakefulness drug used by soldiers and Silicon Valley executives to sustain long, focused work sessions. He finds himself in “flow”—working eleven hours with zero distraction and minimal fatigue. Users describe the drug as “Viagra for the brain,” though McGinn acknowledges risks like insomnia or moral gray zones.

Philosopher Julie Tannenbaum reframes this question: if modafinil increases wake hours, is it extending life’s quality rather than cheating? The moral tension mirrors debates around caffeine, meditation, or supplements—are these tools enhancements or simply modern preparation?

Ethics and Self-Mastery

McGinn concludes that modest chemical aids can complement, not replace, mental discipline. As his placebo experiment with a friend reveals, belief itself may be the most potent drug. Pills may calm hands, but purpose stabilizes the mind. For most situations, reappraisal, ritual, and confidence are safer and equally effective substitutes.

The psych-up pill poses the ultimate question: Do we pursue peak performance by hacking biology—or by mastering psychology? McGinn’s balanced answer: chemistry can assist, but training the mind remains the true frontier.