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     Does anyone have any confidence for sale cos I need to buy some!. I am a nervous wreck every time I get a call out, even when it is something I have plenty of experience doing. Does anyone else get these panic attacks?

No Martin i dont cofidence is built up But say to yourself I can and i will .The only person who will fail you is yourself.I had 20 years as a D.J.and i used to get nervous before a gig this is not unusual .I know im not a locky but hopefully this will help.Good Luck and stay calm all the best

Thanks for your support Nick.

Happens to the best of them and your confidence will grow the longer you do the job.

When you get a call out, remember your the professional and in the customers eyes the job you do and how you approach it will be the right way. Try not to think about it too much and just use your skills the best you can, what more can anyone do?

The biggest mistake that most people make is to not think the job through, go in 'guns blazing' and makes a pigs ear of it. Get as much info about the job when you take the call, what type of locks etc, other possible entry points etc, and that way you can plan your attack before you even get to the job, hopefully building up your confidence at the same time.

Sounds daft, but because of the nature of the job we do, where we get a call and have to respond quickly and think on our feet, it can cause an adrenaline rush.....heart beat increases, start sweating, everything going 101mph in your head about what you are going to face at the job! If that's what happens, don't worry about it, it's natural and a few deep breaths should sort it.

LOL, I agree Martin.

I still become a little nervous on my way to a call-out, but I always tell myself that I've never left a Customer without carrying out the work successfully. Once you get into that mindset, it really does help, but I'm sure Jay is right, and that there will always be an element of 'nervousness' attached to this job.

Think positive thoughts i will do this job because i trained with the best plus theres always Jay or whoever at the end of a phone so your not  ALONE.

Martin I'm sure you are not alone! I wouldn't say you have anything to worry about! after all youve come on a forum and asked the question!

In my line of work when going to a job I have amillion and 1 things going through my mind plus the fact I'm driving a car at speed wrong side of the road stuff ..yadda yadda...yep I do get the butterflies and I think what you are saying is that you are having a perfectly natural reaction.

Thanks for all the positive comments and advice.

You have already got confidence Martin, you are running a business. Many people don't have the confidence to do even that. What you are feeling is the adrenaline as was said above. Adrenaline can have two effects one is to created a panicked and confused state or to create a heightened state of awareness. You need to remain focused, whatever job you arrive at you can do using the information you have got from your course, DON"T DOUBT YOURSELF!

Take deep breaths in through you nose and out through the mouth. On the way to the job drive within the speed limit and don't get frustrated with the traffic. Take your time and arrive at the job calm and focused.

Also dont rush to get the job done, the customer will have their idea of what you are there to do (pick the lock they lost the key for) but that is not always the best option. Walk around the property your not only doing this to see if there is an open window your also giving yourself time to think and plan. Just make a conscious effort to be calm and methodical if you do this every time it will become second nature.

Nobody gets it right all the time, the difference between people who suceed and those who fail, is how you deal with the failure and rejection. It will make some quit and others try harder.

You anywhere near Devon Martin?

You are doing well Martin.  We all get nervous/anxious its only human nature.  I always talk myself through a job and forumlate a plan/process.  If I cant do it, then rather than have half hearted go, I will be honest with myself and say just that.  I would always leave the customer with a way out and not leave them in the lurch.  We all learn everyday.

Seems like it's fairly normal to get these feelings and not just me then!, all of your replies are what makes this forum great in my opinion.  @Tony (x locks) I am in Altrincham, Cheshire a fair trek from Devon.

Martin I qualified as a golf coach a few years ago and part of the course was self belief.A really good book to read is The Inner Game by Tim Galwey it deals with the issues you have and will inspire you to overcome this little blip.

" Build it and they will come"

i always go to a job and at first thought is this the one that i cant open. then on the way i used to go though what could be wrong and what ways are there to get in, as u start opening locks you will naturally get confidence and start recalling similer jobs. and when you get a lock you strugle with,when you replace it buy two and practice on the second.. you will also find that if you have probs with a lock when you snap it or change it. take it home and you will find you can pick it when not under pressure, i do it all the time, become obcessed with locksmithing learn all different types of picking bypassing other ways in so u done lose face. always look for other ways in. this will give you confidence. i know that if i cant open a mortice lock i can drill it so the customer is in, then i pick it at home. block the customer out and slowly work and just focus see how the lock works in your head, if the customer gets restless make small talk like people think locksmiths are magicians but with the locks on the market today they are getting harder even for locksmiths, if they seen u trying nde then give them the choice, i can get you in quicker by drillinng etc, 9/10 they will let you drill..

Thanks to everyone who has replied, I am taking the all the advice on board and I am sure others will also find this helpful, I will read the inner game.

Hey Martin..I cann't seem to open anything today even the 2 trusty locks that open as soon as look at em.. I guess my ying and yang are out of sync..anybody else get periods like that?

I know it's not the tools or the locks!

Matin T,

We all get days like this, even the simplest of jobs can seem like its never going to happen especially when you have a customer over you looking at what you are doing which some times makes the job seem impossible to do, i always go out with the frame of mind i will open the lock.

You will be fine, how long have you been trading for.

Hi Kirk

I am trading part time and it will be a year in september, I know what you mean about customers standing watching, it adds to the pressure!

Hi Martin, Just go into the job with an open mind and be very relaxed, and dont forget "you are the locksmith" not them so they wont know what to expect.

You are the one in control.