Feeling anxious? It’s OK. We all feel anxiety from time to time.

Whether a Little League baseball game, an important work presentation or a big life moment like a wedding, we all remember a time when we were so worried that our nerves consumed us.

But have you ever been so relaxed you ultimately procrastinated, and your lack of preparation led to a poor result?

It turns out if you can find your anxiety sweet spot, you might have an optimal outcome.

That’s because anxiety helps improve our attention to detail and elevate our focus. It also stimulates creativity and problem-solving skills.

Some studies have found that people who feel some anxiety in a pressure situation come up with better solutions to problems than those who feel calm. When we feel we can’t handle stress, our bodies produce the unhelpful hormone cortisol. When we feel we can, our heart rate increases, blood vessels dilate and oxygen goes to the brain. We produce anabolic hormones, which boost performance.

Anxiety highlights what matters to us. While the anxiety tells us that accomplishing our goals will be hard, it also moves us to take substantive action.

Psychologists say the difference between helpful and unhelpful anxiety is whether it causes “functional impairment.” Will your lack of action prevent you from living your life? Doing your job? Caring for your family?

Ultimately, anxiety is an instinct, providing useful information from our subconscious about potential negative results. It can certainly be irrational, at times.

But with a positive perspective, you’ll better handle your anxiousness as your jitters fuel you toward success.