You don't want to be asleep, but you also don't want to be, like, having a heart attack.
I'm Angela Duckworth.
I'm Maria Konnikova, and you're listening to.
No stupid questions today on the show.
Can you learn to perform under pressure?
If I'm just imagining myself standing with a trophy in my hand, that might not be nearly as effective as imagining myself choking.
Maria, I am so excited to be in conversation with you today about a question that has honestly been haunting me for many years.
Are you ready for it?
I am ready.
Let's have it.
We have a listener named Srishti who writes, I have a question about performing under pressure.
One of my kids is a high level basketball player and the other is a pianist.
I notice that they can often nail challenging pieces or shots in the practice setting, but the high pressure real life situation affect them negatively.
Is this something they can work on?
Can people adapt to pressure?
What are some tactics?
Warmly, Srishti?
I think you're the perfect person to talk about this, Maria, because you have experience as a psychologist, also as a person who, on occasion, subjects themselves to high pressure situations.
So I have some thoughts on this, but I wonder what you think of this question.
Yeah, when you were reading this question, all I can think of was, yes, me, too.