The pressure you get, see it as a gift

We all know performance pressure. It’s not just in the world of elite sports that the pressure to succeed is incredibly high. In 2025, societal pressure, in general, is immense. Working, managing a household, earning money, spending money, building a social life, staying healthy… I could go on. In my previous column, I already wrote: sometimes, 24 hours in a day just isn’t enough. Stressing about the pressure you feel or the fear of failure is, therefore, a complete waste of time.

Now, it’s easy for me to say this, because if there’s anyone afraid of failing, it’s me. However, I have a tip. Just before the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, I was watching a documentary about top coaches from various disciplines. One of them was an NBA coach who told his players the following story: “The pressure you experience, see it as a gift. You only receive it when you’ve earned it.” Let that sink in for a moment…

The pressure you experience, see it as a gift. You only receive it when you’ve earned it. If people expect something from you, it’s because you have already proven that you are capable of it. For me, this meant that if others believed we could win gold in Tokyo, why shouldn’t we believe it ourselves? Embrace that expectation as a huge compliment and enjoy the fact that you have already demonstrated your worth.

I believe this applies outside of elite sports as well. When was the last time you felt pressure? Could it be that you felt it because you had already proven you were capable? That doesn’t take away from the fact that pressure can still be (too) high or that expectations can sometimes feel overwhelming. However, I am convinced that if you start seeing pressure as a gift, the weight of that pressure or expectation will naturally become a little lighter. And that small difference can be crucial, it can be the difference between too high and just high enough. In sports, it can be the difference between collapsing under pressure or thriving under it. In elite sports, it can be the difference between silver and gold.

This insight has helped me tremendously over the past few years, and I hope it will do the same for you from now on.