Overcoming Pressure: A Toolkit for Beverage Professionals

RE: Overcoming Pressure: A Toolkit for Beverage Professionals

Diana Bender — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 20:44:52 GMT

Thanks for putting this together, Myles! So many great takeaways!

Something that’s really helped me in those max-anxiety moments before exams is practicing metta (loving-kindness) meditation, but directing it outward instead of inward. I remember right before my Certified exam I noticed another candidate who seemed really stressed, so I focused on sending calming energy their way. Less than a minute later, a friend of theirs walked in, and suddenly they were laughing and totally relaxed...so I like to think it worked. ;)

I also try to use this mindset with examiners during service exams. I’ll imagine guest archetypes and scenarios like, “these are exhausted new parents finally enjoying their first night out,” and think about the kind of hospitality I’d want to offer in that situation. It's helped me to redirect the anxiety into empathy, and humanize the experience.

RE: Overcoming Pressure: A Toolkit for Beverage Professionals

Martin Beally — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 16:27:51 GMT

So much good stuff here [mention:4350bafe1bb147d58f1fd6e4e3137694:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] ! Another book I would recommend is How Champions Think which covers a lot of the ideas here.

The ability to deal with a high stakes, high pressure situation is key to doing well at practical exams and I think this is why so many musicians and theater majors have done well at upper level sommelier exams - they are used to the audition process and performing on the spot. So, if you're having troubles with performing under pressure, maybe try joining an improv troupe or putting yourself in situations that are unfamiliar. There's a reason I recommend staging as a way to prepare for service exams - you're in a restaurant where you don't know the food or the wine that well and are expected to execute service ... sound familiar? The music suggestion is killer as well ... my song for service - Be Our Guest from Beauty and the Beast :D

As another example of how some of these techniques come into play, here's what I had printed out for myself and looked at while I was at the hotel in the time leading up to my final attempt at MS Theory - these were what I would do after every question that was asked of me at theory.

RE: Overcoming Pressure: A Toolkit for Beverage Professionals

Rasmus Dalgaard — Sun, 24 Aug 2025 14:53:50 GMT

Thanks for sharing, great inspiration and very diverse concrete recommendations. I'll be diving into breathing techniques!

RE: Overcoming Pressure: A Toolkit for Beverage Professionals

Rasmus Dalgaard — Sun, 24 Aug 2025 14:53:22 GMT

Thanks for sharing, great inspiration and very diverse concrete recommendations. I'll be diving into breathing techniques!