Change one thing to produce better results under pressure

John Hypothetical has a big test coming up, and the stakes are high in the outcome. He prepares well for the exam, but understandably nervous. When the big day arrives, you can feel your heart beating fast. Despite all his preparation, John chokes.

Emily Imaginary has the same big test ahead of her, with the same consequences that depend on the outcome. She also prepares well and is understandably nervous as well. When the big day arrives, you can feel your heart beating fast. But unlike John, Emily passes the exam.

Now quick test: in this scenario, who would you rather be: John or Emily?

When you’re in a high-pressure situation, with a lot at stake in the outcome, you want to be like Emily, don’t you? You want to pass the exam.

So what was the difference? All things being equal, why did Emily succeed while John failed?

It’s because Emily viewed the exam as a challenge, while John viewed the exam as a threat.

This one change – choosing to view your pressure situation as a challenge rather than a threat – can mean the difference between prevailing and suffocation.

“That’s great, Bill,” you say, “but how do you choose challenge over threat? There has to be more to it than that.”

Not really. But there are two things you can do to help you make this change.

1. Prepare yourself. Really get ready.

To view a high pressure situation as a challenge rather than a threat, you must know deep down that you are up to the challenge. You have to be 100% sure that “you got this!” And it does not come without preparation. Some might even call it over-preparation. That’s why Roger Federer hits thousands of backhands on the practice court; so you can hit that perfect backhand at match point. Preparation gives you confidence. And when you are confident, it is very difficult to see your adversary (the big test, the big presentation, the big meeting) as a threat.

2. Change the way you react to your body.

Pressure situations generate physical manifestations. Shallow breathing, sweaty palms, the proverbial “butterflies in the stomach.” In our initial example, John Hypothetical will experience these feelings and think, “Oh wow! Look how nervous I am! My hands are literally shaking. This is terrible! I just want it to end!” Emily Imaginary, on the other hand, experiences the same feelings and thinks, “This is my body preparing for the challenge! I can feel the energy, the excitement! My body is doing what it is supposed to do and I am ready! I have this! “

In high pressure situations, see your body as a friend, not an enemy! # pressure # leadership # high performance # Production under pressure # stress “

Pressure situations are inherently neither a challenge nor a threat. They just are. So it’s not about the situation; it’s about your mind game as you approach the situation. By preparing thoroughly and interpreting your body’s signals as positive, you will begin to view your high pressure situations as challenges rather than threats.

And that’s a winning game.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *