Recently, I asked the gold glove, all-star, world champion, Yankee great, Bernie Williams what the secret to performing under pressure was. His response? Preparation.
Here’s my take on it…
Remember the 5 P’s
1. Prior
2. Preparation
3. Prevents
4. Poor
5. Performance
Many times I work with an athlete on strategy. For example, I will tell a tennis player to come to net so he/she can finish off the point.
As a response, they often say, “But they might lob over my head!”
I tell them not to worry about it until it happens.
I know many business owners that don’t take risks because of the dreaded, “What if?”
Now, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t prepare for these situations. You should.
The bottom line is that you need to get out of your comfort zone.
You need to take risks.
You need to what you’ve never done so you can get the results that you’ve never gotten.
Preparation…YES.
Worry…NO.
“Talent alone won’t make you a success. Neither will being in the right place at the right time, unless you are ready. The most important question is: ‘Are you ready?’ “
-JOHNNY CARSON
When you go into a tennis match, you need to be prepared.
You need to have your racquets strung, extra grips, a towel, plenty of water, energy bars, sunscreen, hat, motivational quotes, etc.
You also need to be physically and mentally prepared.
Do you learn CPR when someone is drowning?
No, you learn it first, so you can use it when you need it.
Sports are the same way.
If you have a presentation at school, it is in your best interest to prepare by doing research, writing an outline, and practicing.
If you have a job interview, you should do your research on the company, practice interviewing and get a good night’s sleep.
If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.
Positive thinking helps, but you also have to put in the work.
Thanks for reading.
Today’s message is especially dedicated to President Barack Obama.
I believe in preventive medicine. What exactly is preventive medicine?
Eating healthy before you become ill.
Exercising before you become overweight.
Preparing your taxes before April 13th.
Practicing playing in the cold before your school tryouts.
Don’t wait until something goes wrong before you take action.
Noah didn’t start building the ark when it started raining…
You don’t learn CPR when someone starts choking…
You should prepare for situations so that if they do happen, you are ready.
Thanks for reading.