Every Monday, I share 1 question for you to contemplate, 1 idea from me, 1 quote from others, and 1 inspiration for us.
Today’s topic is: Pressure.
Last week I followed the European Championships of Figure Skating. Post-Olympic season is known as a period of reset and transition as many leading skaters decide to retire or take a break. This leads to incredible opportunities becoming available for skaters who are coming up the ranks. During the Championships, despite the situation being filled with increased adrenaline and nervousness, some of these skaters raised to the occasion and performed at their very best. Others, unfortunately, were affected by high expectations and pressure and made surprising and uncharacteristic mistakes.
One Question for you
Pressure is not a situation, an individual, an environment or a context. Pressure is something we feel that is constructed by our own minds. We are the source of pressure.
Discuss the question here.
One Idea from me
Below are three tips on how to successfully deal with pressure:
Shift your perspective: In the book “Train (your brain) like an Olympian”, Jean François Ménard writes: “Pressure is something to welcome because it means your quality preparation and successful performances have positioned you in a really cool spot to do something awesome. The fact that you are feeling the pressure and the fear about future outcomes is a testament to your great work and past successes. It means you are the right person for the job”. Changing your perspective is like changing the window through which you view the world. For this week, I invite you to reflect on your inner voice and shift your thinking from “I feel nervous” to “I am excited” or from “I have to do this” to “I get to do this”.
Slow down and make space: When we are in a high-pressure situation, it's natural to speed up our thinking, miss key information and jump to conclusion. Instead of moving too fast, try to slow down and insert some space to create a moment before you reflexively respond to a situation. Give yourself a moment to breathe, collect your thoughts and formulate a plan. By slowing down your thinking, you will be able to engage your reasoning, think more flexibly, creatively, and intentionally, and your work will be all the better for it.
Create a pre-performance routine: This can prevent you from becoming distracted, keeps you focused and puts you in the right mental state to perform. My pre-performance routine when I have a presentation, a coaching session or I facilitate a workshop consists of three easy steps: a. I do a power pose, b. I take few big breathes and c. I visualize myself in the way I intend to show up on that day. The key is to keep it short, include a physical and a mental component and do it just before the event. What’s your pre-performance routine going to be?
One Quote from others
“No pressure, no diamonds”. Thomas Carlyle
One Inspiration for us
Watch this two-minute clip where author and speaker Simon Sinek answers: “What does it mean to perform under pressure in the work you do?”. Simon talks about how Olympic athletes can teach how to positively experience pressure by interpreting stimuli that pressure brings as excitement and not nervousness.
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