In our previous pressure solution, Befriend the Moment, we referred to research that indicated people tend to view most of their pressure situations as “do-or-die.” As a result of doing so, their self-confidence, level of attention, and sense of judgement falter.
If, on the other hand, you know that you have more than one chance to get it right, would you feel the same effects of pressure? This pressure solution suggests a way for you to reframe your thinking before any high-pressure moment.
Convince yourself that this is one of many opportunities.
It is realistic to think that additional opportunities will come your way.
Consider the number of people you know who in fact needed multiple opportunities to achieve success. Here are just a few, well-known examples:
- Oprah Winfrey was fired from her first job as a news anchor in Baltimore.
- Steven Spielberg was turned down by the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts several times.
- J. K. Rowling was turned down by thirty publishers. Each one told her that her book about a young wizard was unsaleable.
After being fired, Oprah said she felt as though “she blew her one and only chance.” It is likely each of these individuals, and countless more examples, probably felt the exact same way.
Even if we do happen to blow that one big chance, the fact is we each get multiple opportunities over and over again in life. We just do not see it in the moment. Keep this in mind, and you will find yourself not only less pressured in life, but more capable of recognizing and seizing new opportunities.
This is an excerpt from Performing Under Pressure.
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About the Book
Co-authored by our own J.P. Pawliw-Fry, Performing Under Pressure will introduce you to the concept of pressure management, offering the latest science on how your brain responds under pressure, and many empirically tested strategies to help you overcome the sabotaging effects of pressure. For this book, we undertook a multiyear study of over twelve thousand people to answer the question: what is it about the top 10 percent of these individuals that helps them handle pressure more effectively and be successful? The book has been featured in featured in Forbes, INC., The Financial Times, Training Magazine and many more, and is a NYT and Amazon bestseller. Order your copy on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Audible or Apple ibooks.
About the Author
Dr. JP Pawliw-Fry is one of the founders of IHHP. He co-wrote the NY Times bestseller, Performing Under Pressure, and is sought out by Fortune 500 companies as a keynote speaker. If you want to hear more about how to manage stress and pressure, subscribe to his podcast Last 8% Morning on Apple, Spotify, and Stitcher.