“What is the most amount of pressure you have ever been under?” This is the primary question that Dane Jensen, Author and CEO, has asked thousands of people. His approach at viewing pressure as the solution and not the problem has catapulted many people to experience pressure as a motivating factor and not a deterrent to success.
Measuring Pressure
Jensen developed an equation to measure pressure using 3 factors: Pressure = Importance x Uncertainty x Volume
The combination of the 3 has a great effect on the intensity of the pressure we experience. Think about it, if landing that next deal is of great importance the stakes are high. Adding the uncertainty of the market turns up the pressure. Now, if you’ve been beat out a few times before increasing the volume, this raises the pressure still evermore.
High amounts of pressure can trigger a flight or fight response within us. How you react is better understood when you look at the difference between the bio feedback experienced when under stress or pressure. For the most part we are conditioned to turn away from stress; taking a break, going on vacation, changing tasks. Pressure, however, drives us to change the situation, triggering adrenaline, which can scramble our thought processes. Meaning pressure poises to fight, but without the cognitive ability to do so effectively.
Dialing down the pressure
When you are in a high pressure negotiation do you have a hard time thinking? You are not alone! You can do something about it though. We call this ability “resilience,” but for the most part it’s training your brain to shift focus to something more beneficial.
“When we are dominated by pressure the volume of things vying for our attention across the different arenas of life can feel overwhelming. In order to survive, we necessarily focus on what we feel is most important.” Jensen says this is a sort of tunnel vision that prevents us from being at our best when our best is most needed. For example, only remembering your market stats after you left the appointment with a very important Seller prospect. We always remember the things we should have said on the drive home, that’s not very helpful is it?
Tony Robbins’ famous quote: Where focus goes, energy flows means that whatever we focus on intensifies. So, staying focused on what matters when you are under pressure is crucial. This is easier said than done, but here are a couple tips:
- Separate out what you can control, your behaviour and mindset, from what you can’t control, other people and outcomes.
- Remove all distractions.
- Notice what you are feeling.
Most of us operate on a sort of auto pilot, where our thoughts immediately drive our behaviour. In short, we become reactors instead of actors instead of choosing how we want to be.
The more that we can become aware of our feelings and become conscious of our psychological and physical responses the more productive under pressure we can be. That way we can choose which thoughts would be most helpful in the moment. “We can manage ourselves through information hygiene. Be deliberate about what helps and what doesn’t so that you’re keyed in on the long term rather than moment-to-moment,” Jensen said.
Hacking pressure for power
Asking great questions may be the pressure superpower. In his book, The Power of Pressure, Jensen says nothing has the power to focus our attention like a question. Here are a few questions he suggests we ask ourselves when in high pressure situations:
- What’s not at stake?
- How would I view others in this situation?
- What’s the easiest thing I can do to make progress?
- What am I learning right now?
- What’s the worst that could happen if I force action?
- How is carrying this pressure helping others?
Pausing to ask yourself any of these questions can give you just enough of a pause to put your pressure into perspective. “It’s the question, not the command, which allows us to redirect our attention under pressure.”
Now that you have perspective, connect with what matters, your goals. Finding meaning in the moment can help propel your thinking through fear and disorientation to a more focussed vision.
Lastly, if you are looking for a true hack to handling pressure, remember to be prepared. You know it’s coming, so next time you are in a high pressure situation make a plan of how you will handle it. That way you will never again be at the mercy of the pressure. You will remain in the driver’s seat the entire time.