Perform Under Pressure

by Ceri Evans

Overview

*Radically change the way you think about pressure*

'Whatever it is you want to improve in your own life, this book will help you do it.'

RICHIE McCAW, former All Blacks captain

'A revelation'

MEG MASON

Perform Under Pressure will help you not only survive but thrive in situations that up until now have been holding you back. Targeting the moments when you are most stressed and uncomfortable, Dr Ceri Evans' red-blue mind model converts his clinical insights into a simple approach that will help you gain emotional control when you need it most.

If you want to be better at what you do, pressure is unavoidable. This book will help you feel comfortable being uncomfortable, overcome mental obstacles and unlock your true potential.

'We all feel pressure. Ceri just makes it easy to understand so you can deal with it.'

STEVE HANSEN, All Blacks coach

'Performing under pressure is the platform for a successful career. Ceri helped me clear my mind, focus on decisive matters and strengthen my vision for the team.'

ARSENE WENGER, manager, Arsenal FC, 1996-2018

'No book has done more for my professional life and personal wellbeing than Perform Under Pressure. It's so much more than self-help or sports psychology. No matter your field, it will change the way you think about what you do, why you do it, and how you practise, day to day. I've given it to every writer, artist and creative I know. Everyone in the arts should read it.'

MEG MASON, author and journalist

'Working with Ceri has helped us shape our ethos, strengthen the resilience of our internal culture and unlock greater performance from the team.'

TOTO WOLFF, Team Principal and CEO, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport Petronas Motorsport

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781775541387
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	04/14/2020
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.25(h) x 1.06(d)

About the Author

New Zealander Dr Ceri Evans graduated in medicine with distinction from the University of Otago. He gained first class honours in Experimental Psychology on a Rhodes Scholarship at the University of Oxford while playing professional football in the English Championship. Awarded the Gaskell Gold Medal by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, he then specialised in forensic psychiatry and completed a PhD in traumatic memory.

After returning home to Christchurch, he was Clinical Director of the Canterbury Forensic Psychiatric Service and served as an expert witness in major cases. In 2018 he was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and awarded his football coaching A Licence.

Ceri's reputation generates diverse invitations from leading international organisations determined to help their people deliver in demanding situations.

His Red-Blue mind model is used by people serious about performing under pressure, from doctors to lawyers, executive teams to specialist teams, and from professionals to amateurs. He is perhaps best known for his work with the New Zealand All Blacks for whom he has provided specialist consultancy since 2010.

Now in private practice, you will otherwise find Ceri with his head in a book, exercising, or with Therese trying to find out what their three children are up to at university.

Table of Contents

Foreword Richie McCaw 1

Introduction 5

Why I Developed the RED-BLUE Mind Model 6

Part 1 Red And Blue - Understanding Pressure 11

Chapter 1 The Nature of Pressure 13

Two Kinds of Threat 14

Chapter 2 Two Minds - Introducing Red and Blub 16

RED 21

BLUE 27

RED and BLUE 31

How Our Early Years Set the Pattern 32

Chapter 3 Balanced Brain vs Unbalanced Brain 42

Threat vs Challenge 45

Overthinking vs Connecting 51

Split Attention vs Dual Focus 56

Going APE vs Deciding to ACT 65

ESC-APE vs IMP-ACT 69

Overload and Overwhelm vs Overview and Overcome 76

Fixation vs Flexibility 81

Hot-Headed vs Cold-Blooded 86

Threshold and Resilience 90

RED and BLUE: Lessons from Children 94

Chapter 4 The Red-Blue Tool 99

The RED-BLUE Tool 100

Mental Movement: Step Back, Step Up, Step In 106

How the RED-BLUE Tool Works: Rename, Reframe, Reset 109

Breathing Routines 111

Exercise: Self-Awareness 116

Exercise: The 'Stuff-Up Cascade' 118

Reflective Listening: BLUE-RED for Others 120

Part 2 Preparing to Perform-Laying the Groundwork 127

Chapter 5 Create the Gap 129

The Performance Gap 129

1 Pressure: The Performance Environment 135

2 Intent: How Good Do We Want to Be? 139

3 Reality: Our Performance Line 143

Potential: Create the Gap and Seek Out Pressure 149

Chapter 6 Bridge the Gap - The Mental Blueprint 152

The Mental Blueprint: Our Script for Success 153

1 Mindset: Threat or Challenge? 157

2 System: The Power of Sequences 164

3 Skillset: Using Rough Conditions to Smooth Our Skills 169

Putting It All Together: The Penalty Shootout 176

Exercise: Sharpening Our Mental Blueprint 177

Part 3 Performing Under Pressure 179

Chapter 7 Pre-Performance Techniques 181

The Three Circles Technique 182

Variation: Mr Three Things - Expect the Unexpected 187

The ICE Technique: Two Minutes and You're Ready to Go 190

Chapter 8 Complain or Complete - Adding Time Pressure 198

The Tyranny of the 'To Do' List: A Non-Performance Tool 200

Micro-performances 203

Complain or Complete 208

Chapter 9 Defend or Discover - Adding Creativity 213

Creativity Under Pressure: Myth vs Reality 214

Defend or Discover 216

Completion vs Discovery 226

Chapter 10 Mastery 230

Pioneering: Being First 232

Wait or Take 234

Pinnacle Event, or Pinnacle Moment? 238

Chapter 11 For Leaders 242

Create the Gap: Generating a Performance Culture 243

Bridge the Gap, THEN Create the Gap: Using Pressure Wisely 245

The Art of Prioritising: Subtract, Don't Add 251

Complain vs Complete: Fast Leadership 254

Putting It All Together: Streamline Your Way to Movement 256

Chapter 12 After We Perform 259

Switching Off: The Offload Technique 260

The RED-BLUE Debrief: The Mental Blueprint with a Twist 267

Our Performance Timeline 275

Chapter 13 Tough Days 276

Sales Executive 277

Team Sport Athlete 281

Human Resources Director 284

Endurance Athlete 287

Surgeon 291

Ambulance Officer 294

Creative Director 298

Coach 302

Police Tactical Team Member 305

Struggling to Survive 309

Conclusion

Re-mind Yourself 315

Glossary 317

Further reading 337

Acknowledgements 341