Make good use of pressure

Pressure is generally not seen as beneficial, but if seen through the right lens, it can be. A lot of pressure is self-imposed due to poor planning and not growing with the times etc. How you interpret pressure can make a world of difference to your growth, your performance and your progress. Here are examples of when pressure can serve a good purpose.

Taken outside your comfort zone: When pressure requires you to do what you have never done or handled before, it could be good pressure and make you more resilient in the process. As you change, your perspective on pressure will change in a good way and you can learn to rise to the occasion when pressure comes.

Challenges your way of doing things: Staying where you are is never a good thing; you’ll be limiting yourself. Yielding to this kind of pressure will get better at preparation and to take a hard look at what is no longer working. Always looking for ‘easy’ can be the enemy of excellence. Learn to expect pressure to be good by resisting your resistance to pressure. What you resist most when you are under pressure is probably what you need to do most.

That forces you to raise your game: This type of pressure stops you settling for doing less than you could do. When you stay doing less than you are capable of, over time your productivity levels will start to weaken. Pressure can unearth your potential or even expand.

That helps you overcome indecision: When you tend to be indecisive, pressure can be your friend as it can force you to commit, organise and focus your thoughts more quickly than would normally be the case. Pressure will deny you the luxury of wasting time over-thinking issues and to have the self-discipline to move from the terminal drift that arises from indecisiveness.

Now take action: What one thing can you do to handle pressure more positively?