Sport
Performance under pressure: A new perspective on why we fail—or rise to the occasion
Key Points
The decisive penalty kick in a final, match point in tennis or the last attempt in a competition: When a lot is at stake, even a well-practiced performance can suddenly break down. Yet pressure does not necessarily impair performance. Some people perform at their best precisely in the moments that matter most.
The decisive penalty kick in a final, match point in tennis or the last attempt in a competition: When a lot is at stake, even a well-practiced performance can suddenly break down. Yet pressure does not necessarily impair performance. Some people perform at their best precisely in the moments that matter most. Existing accounts can only partly explain why.