First, I'll share how I unwittingly used one of their 22 strategies to succeed at Sam Jones' basketball camp in the summer of 1972. Each camp had competitions such as best free throw shooter, ten shots. Shooting ten in a row differs from game conditions. It's rare to see anyone shoot more than five in a row, e.g. a fouled three point shot plus a technical foul awarding two shots.
The strategy? GO FIRST. As a high school junior, I had shot 78 percent, so I came in confident (one of their four long-term "COTE of armor" methods - confidence, optimism, tenacity, enthusiasm). When they asked for a volunteer to go first (outdoors, asphalt court), I was on that like a rat on cheese. My rationale was that if I made ten, no other camper was likely to be able to make a "pressured" ten. I had NO pressure going first. I made ten. As we say in Boston, Ovah.
I share ten simple, practical Performing Under Pressure strategies with brief annotations. The goal of the short term strategies is boosting positives, eliminating negatives, focus, proper arousal, and finding what works for you. When you can "group" the strategies, so much the better...simpler, quicker, and stronger.
1. Use music as it can distract you from pressure and regulate arousal. Some music can stimulate and other can calm. Some does both (anyone who has heard the entire William Tell Overture/Lone Ranger theme can attest to that).
2. Focus on the moment (score a double for Right Now).
3. Watch video of your performance. (score a triple for Right Now, three for one). Watching video removes self-consciousness and shows you succeeding.
4. Be positive. Use the four ginormous words, I CAN DO THIS.
5. Highlight reel. Jason Selk's great book 10 Minute Toughness incorporates a number of valuable strategies for mental toughness. Develop a mental ESPN highlight reel of plays that show you succeeding. They don't have to be extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime achievements. Visualizing yourself perfectly knocking down open jump shots or anticipating a pass as you step into the passing lane works just fine.
7. Breathing.
Another principle from Jason Selk was proper (centered) breathing...controlled breathing...slow inspiration (6)/breath hold (2)/slow expiration (7)
8. Anchor words or cues. Heisinger and Pawliw-Fry discuss the "cookie jar." Shoot the basketball as though you are shooting a cookie into the cookie jar on a high shelf.
9. Simulation.
Feel the pressure. Experience and embrace it via simulation. When teams and individuals practice pressure situations they are more likely to perform when THE MOMENT arrives.
10. Speed kills.
