What the NFL Playoffs Can Teach Us About Success Under Pressure

The NFL playoffs last night, came down to two single plays both of which lead to two different outcomes.

For the Baltimore Ravens, it was a failed last second field goal attempt that easily could have brought the game into overtime, but instead handed the victory the New England Patriots.

For the 49ers, it was a stripped ball on a punt return in OT, leading to a NY Giants victory.

I asked myself, how does a player fail to perform in these high pressure situations, given that these players have done these seemingly routine kicks or catch & runs at least a thousand times in practice. Something tells me these players have fallen victim to over-thinking, and when they're called upon to perform in a high pressure situation, they fall short.

The secret is in a book I read recently by Sian Bielock, a congnitive scientist who's book Choke can teach us a lot about performing under pressure. A recent article about Beilock's findings written in the NY Times Blog says this about performance:

• "Choking is not a lifetime curse. You can train, even hardwire, your brain to react more productively.

• Experience at performing under pressure makes a significant difference. Practicing under even mild pressure helps prepare you for the more intense version

• When you’re faced with a pressure, distract yourself from the task at hand

• Performing quickly in pressure situations leads to more success."

I think we can all learn about how to handle a high pressure situation from this so that we can perform better at life.

-Marvin Abrinica