In the right quantity, a little anxiety helps us to stay focused, but if this brief period of anxiety persists, it can begin to affect our confidence and performance. If you’re currently learning to drive, have a job interview or are about to take an exam or test, you’ve probably already started to practise and prepare for the big day. When we have an event to prepare for, we often put pressure on ourselves to get things right first time and the same is true of tests and interviews.