High pressure is often artificially created in the mind through narratives and atmospheric conditions. It is the job of every club, league and broadcaster to ramp these up to the maximum in order to engage viewership. For the player on the pitch however, being able to make the distinction between what is real and what is illusion is vitally important to harnessing the positive impact of, for example, adrenaline.
Where most fail is in allowing the occasion to get the better of them. They create a spectre of higher expectations which do not really exist. The game itself does not change and neither does their skill level. Therefore, performance continues to be a negotiation between existing abilities in comparison to the requirements of the game, combined with the control of actions physically and psychologically. The latter is best achieved through regulation of emotions.
What is real about heightened events?
• Most players on the pitch will have heightened psychological arousal. This brings with it higher intensity, but equally greater fatigue and the possibility of losing mental control.
It is useful to analyse this in-game to adjust decision-making. For example, when the collective team spirit is up, it pays to be more aggressive offensively, taking greater risks, but while maintaining defensive security. Equally, when the wind is behind the opposition, dictating the tempo and regaining control of the game is vital.
What is not real about heightened events?
• The pageantry, showmanship and atmosphere.
These do not change the rules of the game or your abilities. Paying too much attention to them or allowing them to hijack your perception of the stakes will generally lead to a negative effect on performance. Read how the tempo and flow of a game changes in relation to them, but beyond that, sit back and enjoy the show after the final whistle, not before or during the game.
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