What Elite Athletes Do To Improve How They Deal With Pressure
Some athletes thrive under pressure and some fold under pressure. Both groups can enter pressure situations being known for past success. However, past success is not what dictates success under pressure.
Furthermore, talent has less impact than you would think in separating these two groups. As a matter of fact, it’s possible for an athlete with far less talent to perform better under pressure than a more talented competitor. This is possible for two reasons:
- Success under pressure is a skill all unto itself that has little to do with the actual domain of the performance.
- Those who find ways to deliberately practice performing under pressure perform better than those who don’t.
Performing under Pressure is Like Running a Marathon
As a result of these two reasons above, athletes who want to perform better under pressure must develop this ability as they were conditioning themselves for a marathon. Think about it like this, almost anyone in decent shape can run a 100 meter sprint without collapsing. However, it’s virtually impossible to run a marathon without collapsing unless you train for several weeks at minimum.
What’s more, when you start marathon training you don’t just go out and run a marathon for practice. Instead, you run a much shorter distance and progressively increase your capacity for longer runs over time. Learning to perform at a high level under pressure requires the same approach.
Elite athletes who perform well under pressure put themselves in pressure filled situations that are just above where they’re comfortable. In those situations they work on mental skills to help them control their anxiety and focus on what matters. These mental skills include reframing, controlling one’s breath, and visualization among others.
Once these mental skills are successfully applied at one level, then the amount of pressure is increased in the next situation faced. The key is to find the right balance between the pressure challenge and the skills one has to cope with the pressure. Then progressively increase both over time.