Positivity by Barbara Fredrickson. Crown, 2009.
Fascinating book about the positivity ratio and the myriad ways that positivity is important in life.
Running Within: A Guide to Mastering the Body-Mind-Spirit Connection for Ultimate Training and Racing by Jerry Lynch and Warren Scott.
Another of those sports books that seem as though they could have been written for musicians. In fact, this book left me with the question, “why don’t more musicians write books like this?” Filled with excellent, positive ideas for using affirmations, visualization, preparing for competition, controlling fear, flowing with fatigue, and so much more, the wisdom in this book presents a profoundly meaningful approach.
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Performance Success: Performing Your Best Under Pressure by Don Greene (Routledge Publishers, 2002)
An excellent book containing an artists performing survey to determine your own specific areas of need, followed by the seven essential skills for optimal performance and detailed, structured instruction for how to achieve them.
Fight Your Fear and Win: 7 Skills for Performing Your Best Under Pressure – at Work, in Sports, on Stage by Don Greene (Broadway Books, 2002)
A more general look, but also very useful, at the same approach given in Performance Success.
Audition Success: An Olympic Sports Psychologist Teaches Performing Artists How to Win by Don Greene (Routledge Publishers, 2001)
Another of Don Greene’s books, spelling out his philosophy, but with an emphasis toward auditions. This book, mostly consisting of taped conversations of two of his clients, is fascinating and embraces centering, courage, and obtaining your goals.
Confident Music Performance: The Art of Preparing by Barbara Schneiderman (MMB Music, Inc., 1991)
A very readable book that looks at performance anxiety from the cognitive, philosophical, and physical sides of the topic. Much wisdom and good suggestions are shared.