Embracing pressure

Going the extra mile often requires you to be able to cope in a high pressure environment. If you want to truly excel and be the best at what you do, you need to get comfortable with stressful situations. If you can’t, you will crumble under the stresses and strains of the

situation. Staying cool when everything around you seems to be falling apart is a truly admirable trait. When things are not going to plan and every implemented action seems to go wrong, it is vital to remain cool, calm and collected.

Some individuals cope better in stressful situations than others. To realise your vision, it’s likely that you will need to embrace pressure and thrive on it. Handling pressure in the right way and bending it to your advantage can boost performance levels and help you go the extra mile. Furthermore, dealing with situations that others are afraid to face up to is a powerful motivator, while others will be impressed by your ability to perform under pressure.

To be a high performer, you need to show that you can stretch yourself to the limit to prove you can achieve the goal you have set. You should respond to people’s scepticism in your ability to complete a difficult and stressful task by thriving in adversity and being even more determined to succeed.

The secret to staying in control is to create a mindset that lets you rise above the situation so you can put it into perspective. As the tension builds and your mind starts racing, take a break to give yourself the space to think clearly and rationally, so you can click into the next

gear and decide on the right course of action. This could be bringing in more resources, changing strategy or moving deadlines forward to give yourself more time. Then you can set about carrying out the task with renewed vigour and confidence.