You've Done the Work.
Don't Let Stage Fright Steal it.
Unleash your talent
Achieve your full artistic potential
Gain a winning edge
Advance your art
Let Your Talent Shine
Show up with grounded presence in any situation
Auditions & Casting Calls
Auditions, callbacks, casting calls, competition cuts.
Performances & Recitals
Concerts, recitals, opening night, live shows.
Competitions & Juries
Competitions, juries, exams, adjudications.
High-Pressure Moments
Solos, debuts, masterclasses, any moment the spotlight finds you.
The Cost of Doing Nothing
Impact of performance anxiety
Actors
28% of professional actors experience performance anxiety severe enough to be debilitating.
Musicians
Dancers
65% of professional ballet dancers reported frequently experiencing performance anxiety.
Exclusive online course with coaching options
Groundbreaking Solution
Self-paced and flexible
Short, focused lessons
Mindfulness-based, science-backed method
1:1 coaching options
Limited enrollment
Private forum
Live Q&A
Guaranteed results
What You'll Learn
Mindfulness directly from Zen practice, NOT diluted McMindfulness
You’re Not Broken
Discover why performance anxiety isn't a personal flaw. Learn the stage fright formula, why mental control is largely an illusion, and how to set workable goals that lead to real progress.
Engage, Accept, and Detach
Learn the core of the READ method at the heart of Perform with Confidence. Immerse yourself in performing, let anxious thoughts pass without fighting them, and let detachment follow naturally.
Remember
Anchor your courage in core values. Learn why commitment, not confidence, is what gets you on stage and into the audition room, and how to call on your values when anxiety strikes.
Mindfulness in Action
Apply the READ method in a live, instructor-led performance event. The closest thing to the real pressure of performing in a structured, supportive setting.
Real-World Mindfulness
Take your READ skills beyond the classroom into everyday moments as a performer. Then use it in a higher-stakes performance situation of your choosing.
Keep On Keeping ON
Make what you've built yours forever. Carry the READ method forward past the course, deepen your mindfulness practice, and trust the skill you've earned.
Dr. David Lee Fish, Ph.D.
Creator of Perform with Confidence
Dr. David Lee Fish, Ph.D., founder of Rise Up Eight, has stood where you stand. He performed alongside Ella Fitzgerald and Little Richard, played the Montreux Jazz Festival, and earned a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology. He knows the stage.
He also knows what it is to freeze on it. One night, backing a major act in front of a full house, his nerves took over and his mind locked up, despite his talent and training. That moment sent him looking for an answer preparation alone could not give.
He found it in mindfulness. Dr. Fish studied Zen under Korean Master Seung Sahn, the same teacher who trained Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of modern mindfulness (MBSR).
From that lineage, and decades of performing and teaching, he built the READ method: a way to work with performance anxiety instead of fighting it. Not a cure, and not a trick. A workable way to stay present when it counts.
CLICK to learn more about Dr. Fish's unlikely road to becoming a leading authority on performance anxiety
I’m all too familiar with the nemesis known as stage fright. Dr. Fish has helped me better understand and deal with this unwelcome guest.
”This is an essential weapon in the arsenal of any serious public speaker or performer. Dr. Fish is a revolutionary. DO THIS!!!”
The Proven Solution
Breakthrough method born of real results
Dr. Fish's book, The 5-Day Stage Fright Solution, earned a 5-star Reader's Favorite Award and heartfelt praise for cutting through shortcuts and clichés, exposing the real roots of performance anxiety, and delivering practical techniques that produce results.
The Perform with Confidence online course brings that method to performers, lesson by lesson.
Reader Praise
“When I was younger, public speaking was one of my greatest fears! I wish I had this resource back then.” —KC
This self-help book resonates with a lot of people who struggle with stage fright. A great read!” —AL
It was like this book was calling out to me!” —DB
“A book that covers an important part of today’s life where people need to express themselves to succeed. Has come in handy in my life.” —AK
“A great do-it-yourself book that can help anyone with anxiety.” —SH “Really helpful for my peer interactions and work.” —SH
“Stage fright could destroy a career at some point, hence, I’m going to recommend this to anyone I know suffering from it.” —NG ‘
“I love that it gets to the root of the problem.” —KR
“Highly recommended to everyone who wants to improve themselves for public speaking and doing presentation be it in university or at work.” —MK
“Author David Lee Fish, Ph.D. comes to this brief but impressive self-help book on overcoming stage fright with excellent credentials.” —B
FAQ
Perform with Confidence is for all performers (musicians, actors, dancers, vocalists, students and pros alike)
FREE Introductory Lesson
Tame Your Stage Fright.
Perform Like Yourself (maybe for the first time).
Imagine walking onstage, into the audition, or up for the recital with your nerves present but no longer running the show. Steady hands, a clear head, and your attention on the music, the role, the moment, instead of on the fear.
That's what Dr. Fish's READ method makes possible, and the free introductory lesson is where it starts. No cost, no credit card, just your first real taste of the method.
