Sian Leah Beilock : Why we choke under pressure — and how to avoid it

Sian Leah Beilock at TEDMED 2017  (transcript)
Why we choke under pressure - and how to avoid it.
Summary
We really want to know about how to avoid pressure because we often face the situation that we have to accomplish something under pressure. No, we think that we have to accomplish something well, thus it seems to put us under pressure.

Why do we often fail to perform up to our potential under pressure?

It's because stressful situations is that we worry about the situation that, in fact, what others will think of us automatically. It's that all eyes are on us, we know that we are evaluated,  and then our performance changes.

We concentrate too much. The phenomenon is over attention. If we pay attention to details what we do, our performance is slower and more error-prone.

Simply, we unhook the situation that we concentrate too much. For example, singing a song, pay attention to your pinky toe, and jotting down your thoughts and worries before a stressful event. It's less likely to distract you and you can perform your best when it matters most.

Additionally, adult anxiety is contagious. Parents and teachers are not worried about students and kids but they spend with them to improve their skill with enjoyment. It helps them perform better.

Let's work hard together

Words in this story
humiliate /verb/  embarrass, mortify, humble, disgrace, chagrin
choke /verb/ cough, fight for breath
distract /verb/ divert, sidetrack, draw away, disturb, put off
contagious /adj/  infectious, communicable, transmittable