Mindset Mondays: Dr. Sian Beilock — Choking Under Pressure & Explicit Monitoring

Do you ever perform worse when the moment matters most?

Dr. Sian Beilock’s research helps explain why. We often assume choking happens because an athlete suddenly “loses confidence.” But Beilock’s research suggests something more specific can happen: we can interfere with skills we have already learned automatically.

Think about a skilled golfer standing over a short putt. In practice, the stroke happens naturally. Under pressure, however, the athlete may start thinking: Keep your head down. Keep your elbow straight. Don’t miss. This is called explicit monitoring — consciously focusing on the individual steps of a skill that normally runs automatically. Research by Beilock and colleagues found that pressure can disrupt well-learned motor skills when performers begin consciously monitoring their execution.

The leadership lesson is powerful: More thinking isn't always better thinking. Coaches should help athletes build skills through repetition, then teach them to trust their preparation when pressure arrives.

Instead of saying, “Don’t mess up,” give athletes a simple cue, focus their attention on the task, and remind them: “Trust your training.”

Great performance under pressure isn't about thinking more. Sometimes, it's about getting out of your own way.

Practical Strategies to "Get Out of Your Own Way":

1. Use External Cues: Shift focus away from body mechanics (e.g., "keep your elbow tucked") and toward the target or goal (e.g., "aim for the back of the rim" or "speak to the back row").

2. Practice Under Pressure: Simulate high-stakes environments during practice (adding timers, spectators, or mild stakes) so the feeling of arousal becomes familiar rather than a trigger for over-analysis.

3. Pre-Performance Routines: A quick physical or mental routine (taking a deep breath, setting a rhythmic beat, or reciting a single focus word) grounds the performer and prevents working memory from spiraling into conscious monitoring.