Think about yourself in this circumstance. It’s true that you play hockey professionally. You are participating in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. You are in overtime in the game that counts. A member of your team unexpectedly passes the puck to you with 10 seconds left.
Would you act frantically? What would you do? Would you stutter, or would you rise to the challenge and save the day?
Would you feel anxious? Excited, alarmed, or confident?
The final game is in overtime, with 10 seconds remaining… and it’s all up to you.
The pressure is on in that circumstance.
Do you want to know what hockey legend Wayne Gretzky said when asked how he felt in that circumstance?
Wayne said: “I wait the entire season for that second.”
How is it possible to be in one of the most demanding circumstances that most of us could possibly imagine – with the season on the line, your team’s future in your hands, and millions of fans watching your every move – and feel great about it?
It’s possible because, in that moment, there are two things that are indisputably true about Wayne Gretzky:
He’s really, really good.
He is aware of how excellent he is.
And for that reason, Wayne Gretzky could enjoy himself despite being in a demanding situation. Since he is aware that is the time when he will shine the brightest.
Let’s examine these two characteristics of Gretzky’s in more detail and see how they relate to you.
He is extremely talented.
He is competent, to put it another way. He is competent for the given task. Where does competence originate then? Yes, there is a chance that some of it comes down to natural talent, but research suggests that this is a relatively small component and that we tend to overvalue it. Study, practice, and experience are the main sources of competence. Studying means you’re always learning—from your peers, coaches, mentors, books, videos, and both your successes and failures. Practice means simulating the high-pressure situations before they arise, honing your skills, playing “What if” scenarios. And experience means putting yourself in these situations over and over and over again, to the point where “high-pressure” becomes part of your comfort zone.
Get really, really good at what you do if you’re not already. Gain knowledge, experience, and skill through study and practice.
He is aware of his exceptional talent.
Gretzky has confidence in addition to competence. He’s been there before, and he knows he has what it takes; he knows he’s up to the challenge, which allows him to feel great in a high-pressure situation that might paralyze the rest of us. Consequently, when adrenaline rushes, it causes electrifying excitement rather than paralyzing fear.
Where does this assurance originate from? It results from proficiency. It stems from personal experience. It results from having already attempted it and succeeded.
“But Bill,” you say, “I know some people who are supremely confident in their skills but also supremely inept at those same skills.”
Yes, but the majority of them tend to be twits or jerks, don’t they? Wayne Gretzky, on the other hand, had the ability to perform under pressure. While doing so, be sure to have fun!
So, the answer is yes, it is possible to feel fantastic under pressure. When you’re really, really good—and you know you’re really, really good—you’ll start to see those high-pressure situations as chances to perform at your best, just like Wayne Gretzky did.