In our last couple +1s (here and here), we’ve been spending some time with Dr. Dave Alred and mining some wisdom from his great book The Pressure Principle.
Today, we’re going to spend some more time with him. Let’s get straight to work.
We’ll start by defining pressure. Then, we’ll look at his #1 tip on how to use it as fuel for excellence.
Dave tells us that pressure is, “The interference with the ability to concentrate on a process, consciously or subconsciously, causing deterioration in technique and decreasing the level of performance.”
Got it.
Then he tells us: “If I had to give a high-concept appraisal of my coaching philosophy, it would be: ‘To rekindle youthful learning and create a “no limits” mindset.’
No matter who you are—the world’s number-one golfer, a nurse in an overburdened department, rugby’s best goal kicker or one employee among thousands in a big company— you can always improve. At the margins of your performance, you can still get better—and you can learn to enjoy and embrace the challenge of improving and celebrate your progress.”
LOVE that.
I repeat…
“No matter who you are, you can ALWAYS improve.”
And…
I’ll repeat…
In my experience, THE ABSOLUTE BEST are the ones MOST interested in GETTING BETTER.
Now…
The first chapter in the book is all about dealing with “Anxiety.”
The #1 tip on how to do that?
CONTROL YOUR BODY LANGUAGE AND POSTURE!
Dave tells us: “As we’ve discussed, when we move into a stressful state, we aren’t always consciously aware of it. As we come under increasing levels of pressure, our awareness diminishes and our natural reaction is to become more tense and tighter, and as a result our movements become physically smaller.
Before we enter into a stressful situation it is always worth resetting our posture. With a rugby goal kicker, a footballer about to take a penalty, a cricket batsman about to face a delivery and a golfer lining up a shot, I always make it a part of a player’s pre-shot routine to set their body shape in the ‘command’ posture and to make themselves as physically big as possible. I advise anyone in a stressful situation to adopt the same approach.
Command posture involves having the shoulders down and packed, with the neck stretched and the chin held in line with the sternum. Despite the title ‘command,’ think less of a military-style standing to attention and more of a trained dancer, upright, lithe and graceful: you are in control of your situation, not standing to the attention of someone or something else.”
So…
After we define pressure and discuss how to deal with it, the first thing we learn is how to take command of our PHYSICAL PRESENCE.
Which is EXACTLY what Michael and I teach our Heroic Coaches and athletes/teams we train via our “Flip the Switch” protocol.
As I read that passage, I thought of some parallel wisdom from a couple of old school mental toughness/peak performance gurus and their books: Timothy Gallwey and his classic book The Inner Game of Tennis and Jim Loehr and his book The New Toughness Training for Sports.
First, Loehr.
In Toughness Training for Sports, he tells us: “All great tennis champions have that same walk between points—between their battles—that marching soldiers display. Top tough competitors show the same focus, confidence, energy, and precision that soldiers do when they walk. No weakness, nothing sloppy, nothing but strength. Tennis champions walk the way soldiers march to bolster courage and control. I’ve come to refer to it as the matador walk.
Practice looking and acting the way you want to feel in your performance situations. Doing that pays off in terms of victory in combat for soldiers; it can pay off in terms of victory in competition for you.”
Now, Gallwey.
In The Inner Game of Tennis, he tells us: “‘Asking for qualities’ describes the other kind of role-playing. When introducing this idea, I usually say something like this: ‘Imagine that I am the director of a television series. Knowing that you are an actor that plays tennis, I ask if you would like to do a bit part as a top-flight tennis player. I assure you that you needn’t worry about hitting the ball out or into the net because the camera will only be focused on you and will not follow the ball.
What I’m mainly interested in is that you adopt professional mannerisms, and that you swing your racket with super self-assurance. Above all, your face must express no self-doubt. You should look as if you are hitting every ball exactly where you want to. Really get into the role, hit as hard as you like and ignore where the ball is actually going.’”
And...
That’s Today’s +1.
Feeling pressure?
Flip the switch.
Invite the best, most Heroic version of yourself to join the party.
Chest up. Chin down.
Assume your command posture.
Walk like a matador.
And give us all you’ve got.
TODAY.
Unlock this Heroic +1 (and over 1,000 more)!
Create your account to get more wisdom in less time. Personal development made simple so you can flourish in energy, work, and love. Today.
