How Nervous People Can Perform Under Pressure - Steve Magness

Steve Magness is a performance coach, author, and sports scientist. Performing under pressure isn’t easy. Whether it’s a big test, a game, or a presentation, nerves often get in the way. So how do you stay calm and do your best? How can you turn pressure into an advantage? Expect to learn how pressure impacts performance, how to deal better with stress and anxiety, how to stop focusing on negative outcomes, why identity and self-clarity are so important, the biggest differences between surviving and thriving, the role failure plays in shaping your true identity and how to fail better, why it’s so difficult for people to find out who they are and much more… - 00:00 Talented People Who Struggle to Reach Their Potential 04:51 The Price of Your Own Expectation 11:43 How Pressure Impacts Performance 16:36 Performance Experiments in Rugby 20:09 How Our Mindset Impacts Our Biology 31:34 Evidence-Based Strategies to Reframe Pressure 39:48 The Benefits of Having a Support Group 51:14 Dealing With Fear of Failure 1:00:40 How Important Are Goals & Values? 1:06:49 Where to Find Steve - Get access to every episode 10 hours before YouTube by subscribing for free on Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn or Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Get my free Reading List of 100 life-changing books here - https://chriswillx.com/books/ Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic here - https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

Chris WilliamsonhostSteve Magnessguest

Feb 1, 20251h 7mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: February 1, 2025
Duration: 1h 7m
Channel: Modern Wisdom
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Steve Magness is a performance coach, author, and sports scientist. Performing under pressure isn’t easy. Whether it’s a big test, a game, or a presentation, nerves often get in the way. So how do you stay calm and do your best? How can you turn pressure into an advantage? Expect to learn how pressure impacts performance, how to deal better with stress and anxiety, how to stop focusing on negative outcomes, why identity and self-clarity are so important, the biggest differences between surviving and thriving, the role failure plays in shaping your true identity and how to fail better, why it’s so difficult for people to find out who they are and much more… - 00:00 Talented People Who Struggle to Reach Their Potential 04:51 The Price of Your Own Expectation 11:43 How Pressure Impacts Performance 16:36 Performance Experiments in Rugby 20:09 How Our Mindset Impacts Our Biology 31:34 Evidence-Based Strategies to Reframe Pressure 39:48 The Benefits of Having a Support Group 51:14 Dealing With Fear of Failure 1:00:40 How Important Are Goals & Values? 1:06:49 Where to Find Steve - Get access to every episode 10 hours before YouTube by subscribing for free on Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn or Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Get my free Reading List of 100 life-changing books here - https://chriswillx.com/books/ Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic here - https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

SPEAKERS

Chris Williamson
host
Steve Magness
guest

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Modern Wisdom, featuring Chris Williamson and Steve Magness, How Nervous People Can Perform Under Pressure - Steve Magness explores turning Nerves Into an Edge: Winning Your Inner Performance Game Chris Williamson and performance coach Steve Magness explore why so many highly talented people underperform when it matters most and how to fix it. They explain how identity, expectations, and modern social pressure amplify choking under stress, using examples from musicians, authors, athletes, and everyday performers. Magness breaks down the neurobiology of pressure—how stress hormones, perception of threat vs. challenge, and prior preparation shape performance. They then outline practical, evidence-based strategies to reframe anxiety, design better routines, harness social support, and move from perfectionism and self-protection toward exploration and resilient excellence.

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