It’s Not Just Another Competition, and That’s Fine

(AKA: Why Pretending There’s No Pressure is Not Great Advice)

It comes from coaches and athletes alike - this idea that you should be able to convince yourself that a qualifier or a championship or an elimination game or an international meet is “just another performance.” That it’s no different than practice. In a study we did with elite Olympic Weightlifting coaches on preparing athletes for managing pressure, one coach even stated that they intentionally try to remove the idea of an international meet being a big deal and reinforce that it’s no different than a local meet.

The premise, at first glance, can make sense. The “it’s just another game/meet” message communicates the idea that if we can just convince athletes that nothing is actually on the line and that they’ve done this before, they will remain calm and composed and be able to perform well. At it’s core, the message assumes that the answer to performing under pressure is to pretend there really isn’t any pressure. There are several problems with this idea that we’ll walk through here so that we can start moving away from the idea of that removing pressure is the answer and instead move toward the idea that your athletes can manage and even embrace pressure.

Your Brain is Smarter Than You’re Giving it Credit For

Your brain is good (like, really good) at noticing differences. A slight change in tone, a slight move of an object, a subtle speed change. All without you intentionally noticing. Which is to say - your brain is aware when you’re in a different environment with pressure and consequences on the line. You cannot eat a lemon and trick yourself into believing it is chocolate cake, and you cannot go to the biggest performance of your career and trick yourself into believing you are at practice. Here’s the thing: that’s not a problem. You don’t need to trick yourself. Your body is going to react to the environment whether you choose to or not, but you do get to choose what happens next and there are things you can do to shape the reaction you have to pressure.

Embracing Pressure

Pressure can be viewed in two broad categories.

(1) A threat. Something I need to get away from. Something that is going to prevent me from performing.

(2) A challenge. Something I’m prepared for. Something I can grow through. Something that can enhance my performance if approached the right way.

When we try to convince ourselves pressure is not real, we are placing pressure into the first category. We are labeling it as something we can’t deal with and thus, must pretend is not there or think about differently.

Yet, the research is clear on this topic. Embracing pressure and viewing it as something you are equipped to (and want to) deal with, leads to better performance (not just in sport either, across domains like performing medical procedures and aviation).

Pressure is Only a Problem If You Haven’t Prepared for It

So if we know that embracing pressure is helpful, why don’t we do it? Because you aren’t going to be able to embrace pressure if you don’t actually think you are equipped to deal with it. Performing under pressure is not an accident. It is something you train for. If you aren’t practicing performing under pressure, you are going to be more likely to experience increased worry, have trouble focusing on what matters, lose your technique or overcontrol your movement, freeze, or get fatigued fast.

Practicing performing under pressure, on the other hand, allows you to (1) figure out how you react under pressure, (2) identify what breaks down under pressure, (3) practice strategies for managing pressure, (4) build an actual belief that you can manage pressure and perform when experiencing it.

Pressure Training

Performers who practice performing under pressure have been found to show improvements in actual performances under pressure compared to those who don’t engage in pressure training. Put simply, the data points to the idea that pressure training is beneficial. So how might you apply it?

Consider what creates pressure for you. Social evaluation? Competing against someone else? Consequences on the line? Rewards on the line? Mimic those factors in your preparation. How can you get more eyes on you? Add competition or consequences or rewards?

Assess your reactions to those factors in training - what breaks down first? What do you tend to do? Explore strategies for better managing the pressure and practice using them (repeatedly!).

Questions? Let us know.