Pressure: Performing When it Counts

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.

Transcript

Speaker: 0:01

I'm Dr. Nassim Ebrahimi, and welcome to Becoming My Stronger Me, a podcast designed to help you become stronger in mind, body, and heart. In season two, the mental performance series, we'll explore the intricate relationship between mental performance, sports excellence, leadership, and personal growth to help you become your stronger you. Today we're talking about something that every athlete, coach, and parent experiences. Pressure. Those moments where the stakes are high, the crowd is loud, and everything you've worked for seems to come down to a single moment. Maybe it's a game-winning shot. Maybe it's performing in front of college scouts. Maybe it's just trying to hold your 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 causes us to crack. It's how we interpret that moment. What if instead of running from it, we learn to see pressure as a privilege, as a sign that we're doing something meaningful, something that matters. That's what we're diving into today. The psychology of pressure. What's really happening in our minds and bodies and how we can train to perform when it counts. So let's start with something simple. Pressure itself isn't physical, it's psychological. It's not what's happening around us, it's what's happening within us. Two athletes can be in the exact same situation, say a free throw with seconds left on the clock and experience completely different reactions. One thinks, I've got this. The other thinks, don't miss. Same situation, but different outcome. The difference isn't in ability, it's in the perception. Dr. Cyan Bellock, who wrote the book Choke, describes pressure as what happens when the stakes feel so high that thinking about the outcome interferes with your performance. You don't lose your skill under pressure, you lose access to it. You start trying to control things that should happen automatically. Think about a soccer player taking a penalty kick. They've done it hundreds of times in practice. But in the moment, with the crowd watching, suddenly everything feels different. Their legs tighten, their breathing changes, their mind races, they start analyzing their technique instead of trusting it. That's the shift from instinct to interference. What's fascinating is that the body's response under pressure, the pounding of the heart, the quickened breath, is actually the same physiological response as excitement. It's the same adrenaline, the same cortisol. The only difference is what the brain labels it as. If you interpret those sensations as fear, they become fear. If you interpret them as readiness, they become energy. There's a great study that illustrates this. Researchers found that athletes who reframed their nerves before competition as I'm ready instead of I'm nervous, performed better and recovered faster. It wasn't a change in skill or preparation, it was a change in meaning. So the next time you're feeling that rush before competition, try to see it as your body preparing you, not warning you. Now here's where we often make a mistake. We assume that pressure is something we can only cope with. But in reality, it's something we can train for. If the first time you experience pressure is in a championship game or a college showcase, it's already too late. Just like physical skills, composure under pressure is a muscle that needs repetition. Coaches can help by building pressure simulations into practice, not to create fear, but to strengthen focus. For example, make the last shot of practice count for something. Add a mini competition to a warm-up. Create moments where there's just enough on the line that it matters. Let's say you're working with a basketball team that ends every practice with a single free throw for each player. If everyone makes their shot, practice is over. If even one person misses, the team runs a sprint together and then starts again. It's not a punishment, it's preparation. They're learning what it feels like to perform under that quiet, focused intensity. And when game time comes, they've already practiced being in that space. Now, even when we have all of this 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 favorite tools comes in the reset. When you feel yourself start to spiral after a mistake, pause, take a breath, use a physical cue, maybe tapping your chest, clapping your hands, or saying a cue word like next or reset. That small act helps interrupt the mental noise and brings your attention back to the present moment. It's what sports psychologists call attentional control, being able to shift focus from what just happened to what's happening now. And that's what separates athletes who dwell on mistakes from those who move forward confidently. For coaches, how you communicate during pressure moments matters more than you might realize. Saying things like, don't mess this up, directs the athlete's attention to failure. Instead, focus on reassurance and trust. You've trained for this, or do what you do every day. Those phrases anchor athletes in process, not outcomes. Confidence under pressure thrives in environments where mistakes aren't punished, but processed. After competition, talk about what worked under pressure, not just what went wrong. Ask athletes what helped them focus or what they noticed when they felt composed. That kind of reflection builds self-awareness and emotional resilience over time. And for parents, your role during high pressure moments is incredibly powerful. Often, athletes don't feel pressure because of the game itself. They feel it because they care deeply about making you proud. So before a game, keep your words simple. Have fun. Play your game, or I love watching you play. After the game, lead with curiosity, not critique. Ask, what did you enjoy about today? Or what did you learn out there? Avoid turning the car ride home into a post-game analysis. It's not about tactics in that moment. It's about connection. When your athlete feels supported regardless of outcome, pressure becomes a challenge, not a threat. Here's what I want you to remember. Pressure doesn't define you, it reveals you. It reveals your habits, your preparation, and your ability to stay centered when it matters most. You can't always control when pressure shows up, but you can control how you respond to it. When you start seeing pressure as an opportunity instead of an obstacle, everything changes. Because performing when it counts isn't about trying harder. It's about trusting more, trusting your skills, trusting your preparation, trusting that you've done the work. So next time you feel that familiar rush before competition, the nerves, the heart rate, the adrenaline, don't fight it. Welcome it. Take a deep breath and say, I'm ready for this. Because that's exactly what your body's telling you. Until next time, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast, join our Facebook group, send in your stories and feedback. And if you're looking for a mental performance coach or want more information, go to www.becoming my strongerme.com. I can't wait to hear from you.