PERFORMING UNDER PRESSURE...

THIS PAST WEEKEND I SPENT WATCHING ONE OF THE GREATEST SPORTING EVENT IN THE WORLD, THE RYDER CUP. 

THE UNITED STATES WAS SET TO TAKE HOME THE CUP AFTER TAKING A COMMANDING LEAD INTO THE WEEKEND. THE TALK WAS HOW THE EUROPEANS COULD NOT COME BACK, BECAUSE IF THEY DID IT WOULD BE THE GREATEST COMEBACK IN THE HISTORY OF THE RYDER CUP. WELL GUESS WHAT HAPPENED?

HISTORY WAS MADE....

AS I WATCHED EACH MATCH ON SUNDAY, I COULD FEEL THE PRESSURE BUILD MORE AND MORE. EACH SHOT BECAME MORE AND MORE CRITICAL. AS I CONTINUED TO WATCH I BEGAN TO WONDER HOW DO THESE ATHLETES, AND OTHERS, PERFORM SO WELL UNDER SUCH PRESSURE. I ALSO STARTED TO RELATE THAT PRESSURE TO WHAT WE DEAL WITH IN THE FIRE SERVICE. I FOUND THAT ACTUALLY THE TWO THINGS HAVE A LOT IN COMMON, AND HOW WE PREPARE OURSELVES IS QUITE SIMILAR....

SO HOW DO THE GREAT ONES DEAL WITH THE CHEST CRUSHING MUSCLE PARALYZING PRESSURE? 

THE ELITE AMONG US, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, KNOW THAT PREPARING IS ITSELF A RITUAL AND MUST BE DONE. THEY WORK THEIR CRAFT AND THEMSELVES HARD AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY.

GAMEDAY, OR WHEN THE TONES GO OFF FOR US, IS THE REWARD OF THAT PREPARATION AND HARD WORK. IT IS THE FRUIT OF DAYS, WEEKS, AND YEARS OF TRAINING SWEAT, ACHES, AND REPS AFTER REPS AFTER REPS..

THIS IS WHERE THESE ELITE PLAYERS ARE TESTED, WHERE THEY WILL DISPLAY THEIR MAKE AND METTLE. THIS IS WHERE THEY WILL DO WHAT THEY DO BEST. AND THEY USUALLY DO IT RIGHT. WHY IS THAT? IT COMES FROM CONSISTENCY, OF PERFORMING THE BASICS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THEY DON'T PRACTICE TO GET IT RIGHT, THEY PRACTICE UNTIL THEY CAN'T GET IT WRONG...

YOU SEE THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS AND THE DEMONS IN THE SPECIFICS. IF WE CHOOSE TO SKIP THESE THINGS MEDIOCRITY WILL BE THE BEST WE ACHIEVE. AND IN BOTH OF OUR PROFESSIONS MEDIOCRITY DOESN'T CUT IT!!

THESE ELITE PLAYERS (FIREFIGHTERS INCLUDED) SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF, THEY GO OVER THE DETAILS, THEY PAY ATTENTION TO THE SPECIFICS. THEY UNDERSTAND THAT LEARNING NEVER STOPS...

A FEW THINGS THAT WE MUST REMEMBER THAT WILL HELP US PERFORM BETTER UNDER PRESSURE...

WE MUST HAVE A STRONG FOUNDATION. THIS MEANS HAVING A STRONG GRIP ON THE MENTAL, PHYSICAL, AND EMOTIONAL ASPECTS OF OUR CRAFT, BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL LINKED TOGETHER..

WE MUST REMAIN FOCUSED...THIS MEANS FOCUSING ON THE NOW, IN THE MOMENT. IF YOU DO THIS ALL THE PRESSURE GOES AWAY. IF YOU START TO THINK ABOUT THE PAST, OR WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN, YOU ARE ONLY FOCUSED ON THE TASK AND NOT THE BIG PICTURE. ASK YOURSELF SLOWLY, WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW?

OUR TRAINING MUST BE PROACTIVE...WE MUST TRAIN PROACTIVELY FOR ANY SITUATION. WE MUST KNOW HOW WE WILL REACT IN THOSE SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES. WE CAN'T GUESS OR PRETEND, WE MUST KNOW...WE MUST TRAIN TO THE POINT WHERE WE KNOW WHAT IS COMING NEXT, AND WHEN IT DOESN'T WE MUST BE PREPARED FOR THE UNEXPECTED...

 Success is not an accident.  Very seldom does Lady Luck play a role in the outcome of high stakes endeavors.  I'm not even sure that Lady Luck exists at all.  If she does, she has children and she shows them great favor.  She smiles upon the driven few who stay late, put in the extra work, take a few more reps, and sweat that much more than the competition.

LET'S MAKE SURE WE ARE PREPARED TO PERFORM UNDER PRESSURE...

TRAIN TO LIVE!!!