Top performance is hard enough to produce, but when things get delayed and there is extra time to think about the performance, the pressure to execute flawlessly builds. With extra time, the mind wanders to places it shouldn’t.
Losing confidence by overthinking about what is at stake and how to execute is a curse for performers. The longer the delay, the more likely it is for performers to become paralyzed by this over-analysis. Turning the mind off during the delay is virtually impossible. So, what do top performers do to combat the negative effects of pressure during delays?
They distract themselves.
By directing their attention on anything but the upcoming performance and execution, they give themselves an emotional and mental breather. Top performers who have learned the art of distraction have invented a myriad of ways to engage themselves in anything other than the upcoming performance. They count objects, they fix things, they engage in small talk with others, they ask for recommendations, they focus on a given object, they get curious about the weather. They rearrange items they depend on. The list goes on and on.
These distractions allow them to disengage and stop overthinking what they need to do once the delay is over. By pushing the performance out of their mind, at least temporarily, they reduce the pressure that undermines confidence and give themselves a release valve to avoid overthinking.
So, the next time you experience a delay that interrupts performance, consider the power of distraction to avoid the negative effects of pressure. As pressure builds during a delay, finding a release through distraction is a much better strategy than overthinking what is to come.
Thinking about execution is a great way to sabotage execution.
A Daily Dispatch from the Front Lines of Leadership.
