Nobody performs better under pressure. Regardless the task, the pressure causes stress, which inevitably reduces the ability to accurately perceive environment, focus, judge, and make decisions. Therefore, our performance is negatively affected.
European Football championship final match (UefaEuro2020) Italy vs. England has proven that. The three chosen England players that came in just before the penalty shots were the best in training. They all missed their penalty shot when it mattered most. When the stake was high, they have not performed at their best. This is just one of the countless examples from sports. We will be seeing more of them in Tokyo Olympic games starting today.
Rehearsals and training are one thing, while competition is a different game level. In training mistakes do not count - we consider them as a learning experience. In real life or in sports there is often only “one shot”. We get one chance and have to perform where many things are at stake.
Sport arenas are like live laboratories. There are a lot of crucial moments happening in short time and the spectators can watch this live. It becomes obvious who has the ability to take pressure and perform well and who chokes and fails.
It seems like one has this ability or not. Thankfully, that is not the case as one can train and prepare ahead of time. That requires another kind of training - mental and emotional toughness training. Research from Dr. Alfred Bandura shows that we can improve our chances of winning if we build our self-confidence and mental toughness. There are certain things you can do to raise to the at hand.
In my newest book Successful Under Pressure, I present several proven time-tested techniques, tools and strategies you can use before and during critical situations. Some of the techniques will help you to raise up and bounce back if you fail. I can assure you that if you want to become a high achiever, failing many times is inevitable.
It is not the question whether you will fail or stumble, but how quick you will bounce back. In sports and in life there is a next match or negotiation or important work to do every day. Sport fans and your employer do not care about your feelings - they expect from you only your stellar performance.
Tools and techniques I have presented in my book Successful Under pressure are used by corporate CEOs, high-performance professionals from all areas of life and not to mention special forces, elite military, top athletes, fighters and others. You will find tools to help you navigate through challenges, daily suffering or will help you to prepare for the battles you face.
Every human is a work in progress. We are never complete. It is wise to make use of the tools in order to make more progress in our work. What do I mean by tools? Tools are practices, simple techniques, strategies that help you make wiser decisions and act better. Gary Craig, founder of energy technique EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) said that you do not need to believe in EFT, just do the tapping. This is worth repeating; you do not need to believe in the tools, you just need to use them. Using them enables you to fulfill more of your potential.
In Successful Under Pressure, you will find a whole arsenal of such tools. They are time tested and they have been and will be used by those we call Titans – super achievers. Now you can use them as well. You can use them whenever you find yourself stuck, without energy, defeated, under stress, … and they will help you bounce back quicker. You can use them as well to prepare yourself to be the best when you have to perform, when there is an important job in front of you. Just use them when you need them! Grab a copy of the book and start using them.