Does your mind go blank every time the boss calls your name in a big meeting? Ever bombed a test you spent weeks studying for, or botched a simple play that cost your team the game? If so, University of Chicago psychologist Sian Beilock, author of the new book Choke, feels your pain.
Don’t Choke: 5 Tips for Performing Under Pressure
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Having a positive attitude is all well and good, but not if you're stifling negative emotions. That can cause them to sneak up on you at the worst possible moment. A good way to banish those pesky thoughts for good is to acknowledge them long before the big day, then let them go. Take a few minutes to write out your fears or how you might have corrected a previous poor performance. You could even sign up for a comedy or improv class in which you can practice making a fool of yourself. These approaches serve as catharses to free up your working memory (which is basically your ability to reason on the fly) and enable you to focus on what matters *when* it matters.
