What To Do When the Pressure Ramps Up!

Mindset Made Simple Tip #288 



It’s hard to tell by looking outside in most of the country right now…but it’s college softball season! Get out your shovels and thermals, because ready or not, here comes February!

After coaching for more than a quarter century in Northeast Ohio, thinking about layering up for a 9 – 10-hour outdoor excursion to a softball field makes my teeth chatter!

But whether the thermometer says so or not, it’s time for spring sports to ramp up, and so does meaning. 

And when something matters, our brain does what it’s always done best. It tries to protect us by predicting, preventing and controlling everything in sight.

Whether you’re an athlete, coach or professional in any line of work, you know the feeling.

Just before the big game, the big presentation or the big at bat, our minds go wild!

Did we go over X? Did we practice Y enough?

And that’s when the what-ifs creep in.

What if I don’t play well?What if I mess this up?What if all this work doesn’t show up when it counts?

Even when our preparation is solid, we start questioning it. Even when the plan is clear, we start second-guessing it. Even when we know better, we worry about things we can’t control.

Why?

Because uncertainty feels uncomfortable and our mind would rather create the illusion of control than sit with the unknown.

Here’s the problem, and we know this as much as we know the sky is blue (except in Cleveland…there it’s grey at this time of year 😉): Outcomes don’t live in your control. And every ounce of energy spent chasing them steals attention from what actually does.

But that doesn’t stop us from skipping to the end before we begin!

When our focus jumps to outcomes, future moments, or imagined scenarios, we stop being present enough to execute what matters right now.

Performance doesn’t break down because we don’t care. It breaks down because we care so much, we try to control things that we have no business thinking about…let alone controlling!

But here’s the deal. When we decided to do something important, like play college sports, lead a college team or take on a big project at work, we signed up for uncertainty. Accepting the ticket that says “Welcome to the Big Leagues” is so exciting. Until you turn it over and read the “Terms and Conditions”.

At the top of the list? UNCERTAINTY. Next? Frustration, challenge, disruption, pressure, sacrifice, competition, high standards, change, failure, disappointment, conflict, fatigue, scrutiny.

Sure, the list also includes joy, growth, resilience, pride and connection. But these don’t get our focus when the bright lights get flipped on!

Everyone receives the same ticket. The difference is that peak performers don’t eliminate uncertainty. They anchor themselves inside it by narrowing their attention to controllables.

They are masters at shrinking their world back to size!!

When pressure rises, our job is not to think more. It’s to think smaller.

Shrink it down by asking:

• What is mine right now?

• What action can I fully commit to in this moment?

• What process gives me my best chance, regardless of outcome?

Shifting your focus to others helps, too. I asked a team yesterday what would happen if every time someone made a mistake or the road got rocky, we asked, “What do my teammates need from me right now?” How would that change what we do next?

Your right-sized world includes things like:

• Your effort

• Your preparation

• Your body language

• Your breath

• Your words (inside and out)

• Your attention

• Your response to mistakes

• Your next decision

It does not include:

• Officials

• Weather

• Lineups

• Opponents

• Results

• Coaching decisions

• Other people’s reactions

This second list creates a world we can’t navigate. It’s too big…and we don’t own it. Trying to manage those just creates noise, distraction and frustration!

So, as the pressure ramps up, what can we do?

When we catch our minds racing ahead:

1. Name it: “That’s outcome thinking.”

2. Narrow it: “What’s one controllable I can own right now?”

3. Act: Do that thing with intention.

This right-sizes our world, our focus, our thoughts, our emotions and our behaviors.

We often look at pressure as a problem. Billie Jean King says it’s a privilege. We get to do what we love! How cool is that?

Pressure isn’t a sign that something is wrong. It’s simply a sign that something matters.

We know pressure is coming, no matter who we are or what we do. The goal isn’t to calm the mind by controlling the future. The goal is to commit the mind to the present.

Right-size your world…which right-sizes your focus! Stay where your power lives. One choice. One rep. One response at a time.

That’s how you turn uncertainty into performance.

Bring on the spring and the pressure it brings!

Julie

P.S. Want more ideas on how to manage pressure? Reach out now, and let’s design something that fits exactly what you need. Shoot me an email or text – juliej@ssbperformance.com or 234-206-0946

Julie Jones

Mental Performance Coach

SSB Performance

www.ssbperformance.com

juliej@ssbperformance.com • 234-206-0946