Performing Under Pressure: Conversations With Those That Know

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The 2022 World Cup final. With 1.5 billion people watching, Kylian Mbappé steps up to take a penalty against Emiliano Martínez for the second time in a matter of minutes… as high-pressure a moment as sport can produce. But what enables someone to deliver in a moment like that, while others crumble?

Drawing on over 80 hours of interviews recorded for their acclaimed podcast, sport and performance psychology experts Dr Paul Mansell and Prof Matt Slater distil conversations with dozens of elite performers – footballers, Olympians, coaches, and the psychologists who work alongside them – into 17 core themes, from mindset, preparation, belief, and self-compassion, right through to leadership, teamwork, and recovery.

Sport psychologist Dr Chris Shambrook pushes back on the very idea that “pressure is a privilege”. Kate Richardson-Walsh, captain of Team GB’s gold medal-winning Rio 2016 hockey team, reflects on leadership as something the whole team shares, not just the armband-wearer. Premier League footballer and England international Conor Coady explains how a group of individuals can forge a sense of togetherness. Former football international Matilde Fidalgo reflects on how a mistake only becomes a downward spiral if you let it define you. Their stories sit alongside the research and applied practice that explain why they work – theory grounded in lived experience.

Every chapter of Performing Under Pressure closes with a “Try this now” section – three practical, immediately usable techniques. The psychology of performing under pressure belongs to everyone facing expectation, novelty, and uncertainty, not just elite athletes. Whether stepping up to take the winning shot, leading a team, negotiating a deal, or handling a crisis, this book offers a way to think, feel, and perform better when it matters most.

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Performing (Under Pressure)
   2. Challenging (vs. Threating)
   3. Mindsetting
   4. Rationalising
   5. Preparing
   6. Believing
   7. Controlling
   8. Imaging
   9. Breathing
   10. Compassioning
   11. Staying (in the moment)
   12. Responding
   13. Teaming (connecting and supporting)
   14. Leading
   15. Improving
   16. Recovering and Resting
   17. Transitioning

References

Dr Paul Mansell is an academic and researcher specialising in how athletes and performers respond to pressure and adversity. His work explores the psychological factors that influence performance and wellbeing, with particular interest in stress mindset and mentoring. Through his time in academia and applied research, Paul has worked with athletes, coaches, and performers across a range of high-performance environments. He is the co-creator and co-host of the University of Staffordshire’s Performing Under Pressure podcast, bringing together conversations with people who have experienced pressure at the highest levels of sport and performance.

Prof Matt Slater is a Professor of Sport and Exercise Psychology and Deputy Director of the Research Centre for Health and Development at the University of Staffordshire, UK. Matt is a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society and has 15 years’ experience working in professional sport, business, health, and the military. He is an expert on the psychology of leadership and team dynamics in sport with a particular focus on the social identity approach, and in applied performance psychology, publishing 60+ research articles and a book in these areas. He has completed projects with The Football Association, the England and Wales Cricket Board, Leicestershire County Cricket Club, Stoke City Football Club (across men’s and women’s teams), the Royal Air Force, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Impact International, and most recently, the Rugby Football Union. Matt is the co-creator and co-host of the University of Staffordshire’s Performing Under Pressure podcast.

Contributors

Dan Abrahams, Azeem Amir, Harry Baker, Meg Baldwin, Dr Jamie Barker, Dr Tom Bates, Emma Biggin, Jacob Brown, Maisie Brown, Lee Burch, Stuart Carrington, Chris Casper, Seb de Chaves, Mackenzie Cherry, Tawanda Chirewa, Dr Phil Clarke, Rhian Cleverly, Conor Coady, Ryan Cockbill, Karl Colley, Jack Cuthbertson, Helen Davis, Professor Tracey Devonport, Melissa Dhillon, Dr Karla Drew, Adam Evans, Matilde Fidalgo, Joe Ford, Nicky Forster, Beatriz Gandra, Faye Gaskin, Josh Gordon, Jamie Ingram, Luther James-Wildin, Matt Jarvis, Jake Jervis, Professor Marc Jones, Professor Geir Jordet, Nathan Judah, Edgar Kazibwe, Dr Sofie Kent, Professor Andy Lane, Dave Lawrence, Greg Leigh, Lizzie Lewandowski, Nathan Magill, Kelly Massey, Jamille Matt, Dr James Maurice, Jack McMillan, Paul McVeigh, Dr Sara Mesquita, Morgan Milne, Dr Amber Mosewich, Angelina Nixon, Mark O’Brien, Andy and Issy Pearce, Courtney Pitt, Emma Quinn, Ashley Reece, Helen Richardson-Walsh MBE, Kate Richardson-Walsh OBE, Mark Roberts, Shaun Rogers, Danny Schofield, Dr Chris Shambrook, Matt Smith, Dr Katie Sparks, Sara Svoboda, Dr Ella Tagliavini, Dr Martin Turner, Robbie Udberg, Phil Walklate, Nick Welch, Merrick Will, Ben Williams, Dr Mark Williams, Ellie Wilson, Kane Wilson, Sam Winnall, Dr Andrew Wood