IS IT IN YOU?

 A WORD FROM O.C.’s JAKE T…..    

     When we think of the pressure that we’re put under by our friends, parents, teachers, coaches and others in our lives it can be a little bit overwhelming. Yet, in my experience, the most intense pressure often comes
from within. The desire to succeed can feel like a burden or even more so is the pressure not to fail. The neat thing is that we’re all different, and the way that people deal with pressure really defines who they are.  There’s no doubt that in ones lifetime they will face many different kinds of pressure. Sometimes there is pressure to fit in, or pressure to pay
bills, or even an athletes pressure to win! What’s important to remember is that when we feel under pressure, we must rely on our strengths and not focus on our weaknesses. Each person on this planet is created with different skills, abilities, talents, and how we use those when we feel under pressure will ultimately defines us.

     As a true sports enthusiast I always like to look for life lessons in sports. It’s very exciting to see which athletes can thrive under pressure and go down as heroes and which ones let the pressure get to them. The truth is two of my favorite aspects of sports are the “underdog” and the “comeback” story because they relate to life in so many ways. The thing that they both have in common is that in either situation the athletes have to look deep within themselves to achieve more than anyone expected.

My guess is that at some point in your life you’ve known what it feels like to be the underdog or the comeback kid; the one facing an uphill climb that neither others or yourself are fully sure you’re going to come through with flying colors. So the question is, how can we come through the toughest pressures that we face in every area of our life to be the best that we can be?     Here are a few recommendations that I’m taking directly from athletics to
deal with the pressure on a daily basis.

1) Mentally prepare for the struggles you are going to face.

In sports it’s important to visualize what you are going to do before the game even starts. So in
life we must try to imagine the situations that we’ll be in so we are prepared for them before they happen.

2)  Practice, to prepare yourself for when the pressure is on.

 If you have shown the discipline to prepare yourself mentally and physically for a situation, then when it finally matters most you’ll be able to perform at your highest level.

3)  Stay calm and trust yourself.

If you are prepared for what is coming, you have no reason to second guess your abilities, thoughts, or actions! So get in the game of life, make the best decisions for your future and live life to the fullest by not letting the pressure of others, yourself or the world to slow you down.

Make sure the strength to get through a pressure situation is in you!