Performances Under Pressure

We can all recall a situation when we’ve had to showcase our skills after days, weeks, or even months of preparation, perhaps in the form of a musical performance, sports competition, or even an exam. What are the proper steps that need to be taken for such a performance to be considered successful? Perhaps it lies in thorough preparation, or maybe in the ability to handle pressure and execute developed skills during the time of performance. The answer is unclear, but it’s likely a mix of both.

Consistent practice is one of the most important contributing factors to success. It’s distributed practice—the rehearsal of information over an extended period of time—that has been proven effective, rather than the panicked, crammed studying or training hours or minutes before a performance. Additionally, proper practice must be done for results to be observed. For instance, when practicing shooting a basketball in preparation for a tournament, it’s not adequate to merely shoot the ball for a couple of minutes. Instead, it’s imperative to practice the shooting form and set a definitive goal for made shots. This same concept applies to other scenarios as well. We’ve all made the mistake of skimming through notes to “study” for a test. However, hopefully, you’ve learned with experience that applying other techniques like active recall (quizzing yourself) or writing notes are more effective methods that yield a higher rate of success.

A visual representation of the Yerkes-Dodson Law (Source: ResearchGate)

Overall, it’s a complex process to achieve a performance that is considered successful, taking into account factors such as adequate, proper preparation, optimal stress, and motivation.

Discussion Questions:

Can you recall a successful performance? If so, describe it.

What do you believe contributes to successes in pressurized performances?

Can you think of a memory that you can relate or apply the Yerkes-Dodson Law to?

Vocabulary:

Rehearsal: a practice or trial performance of a play or other work for later public performance

Panic: a sudden strong feeling of fear or nervousness that makes you unable to think clearly or behave sensibly

Cram: to prepare yourself for an examination by learning a lot of information quickly 

Adequate: enough in quantity or of a good enough quality for a particular purpose

Mere: used to emphasize how small or unimportant something or someone is

Imperative: ​​extremely important and needing to be done or dealt with immediately

Arouse: excite or provoke (someone) to anger or strong emotions

Motivation: eagerness and willingness to do something without needing to be told or forced to do it

Intrinsic: being part of the nature or character of someone or something

Extrinsic: coming from outside or not directly relating to something