One of my mentors once made a particular statement that got me thinking, he said that "pressure is part of life." Pressure can come in any form; like preparing for an examination, meeting a work deadline, leading a team, fulfilling a financial demand, making important decision, etc. This means that it is almost practically impossible to avoid pressure. While some people allow the pressure to crack them open, others use it to become better and to perform at their best. What makes the difference is not in the amount of the pressure, but in how you respond to it.
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You have to understand that pressure is not always a negative thing. As a matter of fact, in many cases, pressure can push you to prepare better, think more clearly, and to even discover the hidden strengths that you never knew you had. That is, instead of seeing pressure as an enemy, you should see it as something to give you the platform and the opportunity to grow and learn. When you learn how to manage pressure well, it can provide you with the driving force for excellent performance. No one can promise you a life without pressure, because even them may be experiencing pressure, but it is your responsibility to turn the pressure into positive performance.
In order to turn pressure into positive performance, there are things that you need to observe to do. Firstly, you need to prepare before the pressure arrives. Have you seen where soldiers train? You will think that they are already in the war front, or that an imminent war is coming. But this is to prepare them in the event that a combat situation arises. A soldier that refuses to prepare may become a victim of casualty in the event of a war. Confidence is built when you have put in the necessary works. Preparation reduces fear, and makes one to perform with confidence.
In addition to preparing for pressure, you have to learn to stay calm. It is true that pressure has the ability to create fear, anxiety, and other heightened emotions. But you should not allow these emotions to control your judgment, so as not to affect your emotions negatively. Remain calm and focus on the task itself, and not on the pressure associated with it. Take a deep breath, pause for a moment, organise your thoughts, and then focus on what you have control of. You will tend to perform well under demanding situations when you have calmed your mind.
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You have to also learn to focus on the progress you are making, not on the pressure. One of the things that make people to become overwhelmed and crack under pressure is because they focus so much on the size of the pressure, instead of on the next step that they want to take. When you have your attention on the process, it will keep you going. You can also break the task you have into smaller bits, so that it will be a lot easier to make progress. Do not worry so much about what the final outcome will be, just concentrate on doing each step well. When you complete one step well, it will give you the momentum and the zeal to go over to the next step, and this will make the dream actualised.
Finally, you have to believe in your ability to succeed. Believing in yourself is very important when facing pressure. But if you continue to doubt yourself, you may find it difficult to handle pressure. Remind yourself of the challenges and the pressure that you have overcome in the past. This will make you to trust in your ability to overcome the present challenges. If you did it in the past, then it is possible that it can be done again. It is worthy to note that having confidence does not mean that everything will be easy, but it means that you are able to handle whatever comes your way. You cannot avoid pressure, but you can control how you respond to it.
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