Pressure: Performing When it Counts

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Pressure moments reveal who we are more than they define us. Whether it’s a game-winning shot, a tryout, or a championship match, athletes at every level face moments that test their focus, confidence, and composure.

In this episode, I break down the psychology of pressure — what actually happens in the mind and body, how perception shapes performance, and what it takes to perform when it counts.

Drawing on sport psychology research and real-world examples, this conversation explores how athletes, coaches, and parents can reframe nerves as readiness, train for high-stakes situations, and turn pressure into fuel instead of fear.

Because performing under pressure isn’t about trying harder — it’s about trusting more.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker (00:01):
I'm Dr.
Nassim Ebrahimi, and welcome toBecoming My Stronger Me, a
podcast designed to help youbecome stronger in mind, body,
and heart.
In season two, the mentalperformance series, we'll
explore the intricaterelationship between mental
performance, sports excellence,leadership, and personal growth
to help you become your strongeryou.

(00:21):
Today we're talking aboutsomething that every athlete,
coach, and parent experiences.
Pressure.
Those moments where the stakesare high, the crowd is loud, and
everything you've worked forseems to come down to a single
moment.
Maybe it's a game-winning shot.

(00:42):
Maybe it's performing in frontof college scouts.
Maybe it's just trying to holdyour focus when your body feels
like it's working against you.
Pressure gets a bad reputation,but here's the truth.
Pressure isn't a problem.
It's not the moment that causesus to crack.
It's how we interpret thatmoment.

(01:04):
What if instead of running fromit, we learn to see pressure as
a privilege, as a sign thatwe're doing something
meaningful, something thatmatters.
That's what we're diving intotoday.
The psychology of pressure.
What's really happening in ourminds and bodies and how we can

(01:26):
train to perform when it counts.
So let's start with somethingsimple.
Pressure itself isn't physical,it's psychological.
It's not what's happeningaround us, it's what's happening
within us.
Two athletes can be in theexact same situation, say a free

(01:47):
throw with seconds left on theclock and experience completely
different reactions.
One thinks, I've got this.
The other thinks, don't miss.
Same situation, but differentoutcome.
The difference isn't inability, it's in the perception.

(02:09):
Dr.
Cyan Bellock, who wrote thebook Choke, describes pressure
as what happens when the stakesfeel so high that thinking about
the outcome interferes withyour performance.
You don't lose your skill underpressure, you lose access to
it.

(02:29):
You start trying to controlthings that should happen
automatically.
Think about a soccer playertaking a penalty kick.
They've done it hundreds oftimes in practice.
But in the moment, with thecrowd watching, suddenly
everything feels different.
Their legs tighten, theirbreathing changes, their mind

(02:51):
races, they start analyzingtheir technique instead of
trusting it.
That's the shift from instinctto interference.
What's fascinating is that thebody's response under pressure,
the pounding of the heart, thequickened breath, is actually
the same physiological responseas excitement.

(03:14):
It's the same adrenaline, thesame cortisol.
The only difference is what thebrain labels it as.
If you interpret thosesensations as fear, they become
fear.
If you interpret them asreadiness, they become energy.
There's a great study thatillustrates this.

(03:35):
Researchers found that athleteswho reframed their nerves
before competition as I'm readyinstead of I'm nervous,
performed better and recoveredfaster.
It wasn't a change in skill orpreparation, it was a change in
meaning.
So the next time you're feelingthat rush before competition,

(03:59):
try to see it as your bodypreparing you, not warning you.
Now here's where we often makea mistake.
We assume that pressure issomething we can only cope with.
But in reality, it's somethingwe can train for.
If the first time youexperience pressure is in a

(04:21):
championship game or a collegeshowcase, it's already too late.
Just like physical skills,composure under pressure is a
muscle that needs repetition.
Coaches can help by buildingpressure simulations into
practice, not to create fear,but to strengthen focus.
For example, make the last shotof practice count for

(04:43):
something.
Add a mini competition to awarm-up.
Create moments where there'sjust enough on the line that it
matters.
Let's say you're working with abasketball team that ends every
practice with a single freethrow for each player.
If everyone makes their shot,practice is over.

(05:05):
If even one person misses, theteam runs a sprint together and
then starts again.
It's not a punishment, it'spreparation.
They're learning what it feelslike to perform under that
quiet, focused intensity.
And when game time comes,they've already practiced being

(05:26):
in that space.
Now, even when we have all ofthis training, pressure moments
are still going to test us.
Mistakes are going to happen,nerves are going to show up.
That's when one of my favoritetools comes in the reset.
When you feel yourself start tospiral after a mistake, pause,

(05:50):
take a breath, use a physicalcue, maybe tapping your chest,
clapping your hands, or saying acue word like next or reset.
That small act helps interruptthe mental noise and brings your
attention back to the presentmoment.
It's what sports psychologistscall attentional control, being

(06:12):
able to shift focus from whatjust happened to what's
happening now.
And that's what separatesathletes who dwell on mistakes
from those who move forwardconfidently.
For coaches, how youcommunicate during pressure
moments matters more than youmight realize.

(06:33):
Saying things like, don't messthis up, directs the athlete's
attention to failure.
Instead, focus on reassuranceand trust.
You've trained for this, or dowhat you do every day.
Those phrases anchor athletesin process, not outcomes.

(06:53):
Confidence under pressurethrives in environments where
mistakes aren't punished, butprocessed.
After competition, talk aboutwhat worked under pressure, not
just what went wrong.
Ask athletes what helped themfocus or what they noticed when
they felt composed.

(07:14):
That kind of reflection buildsself-awareness and emotional
resilience over time.
And for parents, your roleduring high pressure moments is
incredibly powerful.
Often, athletes don't feelpressure because of the game
itself.
They feel it because they caredeeply about making you proud.

(07:35):
So before a game, keep yourwords simple.
Have fun.
Play your game, or I lovewatching you play.
After the game, lead withcuriosity, not critique.
Ask, what did you enjoy abouttoday?
Or what did you learn outthere?
Avoid turning the car ride homeinto a post-game analysis.

(07:56):
It's not about tactics in thatmoment.
It's about connection.
When your athlete feelssupported regardless of outcome,
pressure becomes a challenge,not a threat.
Here's what I want you toremember.
Pressure doesn't define you, itreveals you.

(08:16):
It reveals your habits, yourpreparation, and your ability to
stay centered when it mattersmost.
You can't always control whenpressure shows up, but you can
control how you respond to it.
When you start seeing pressureas an opportunity instead of an
obstacle, everything changes.

(08:38):
Because performing when itcounts isn't about trying
harder.
It's about trusting more,trusting your skills, trusting
your preparation, trusting thatyou've done the work.
So next time you feel thatfamiliar rush before
competition, the nerves, theheart rate, the adrenaline,

(08:58):
don't fight it.
Welcome it.
Take a deep breath and say, I'mready for this.
Because that's exactly whatyour body's telling you.
Until next time, don't forgetto subscribe to the podcast,
join our Facebook group, send inyour stories and feedback.
And if you're looking for amental performance coach or want

(09:19):
more information, go towww.becoming my strongerme.com.
I can't wait to hear from you.