The Olympic Games provide excellent examples of people under pressure. This pressure has led to some inspiring wins, and one can only imagine the pride parents of Olympic medalists must have when watching their child succeed. However, pressure can also negatively impact one’s performance – leading to disappointment, anxiety, and hopelessness. In this episode of POTC, Yael and Dr. Hank Weisinger, author of The Unlikely Art of Parental Pressure, discuss how “stress” and “pressure” are often used synonymously but lead to very different outcomes. In fact, the APA defines stress as the physiological or psychological response to internal or external stressors and pressure as excessive or stressful demands, imagined or real. Join Hank and Yael for a conversation about how to think about stress and pressure, how to manage them, and much more! Give your Olympic-hopeful a squeeze, and join us to learn value-based approaches for pushing yourself and your loved ones to be their best!
Listen and Learn:
- Yael and Debbie discuss workable aspects of stress
- Dr. Weisinger’s expert break-down of pressure, what it is, how it interferes with our performance, and how to manage it
- The evolutionary function to our pressure response
- Important differences between pressure and stress
- “Pressure traps” and how they can trip you up
- Dr. Weisinger’s thoughts on the Yerkes Dodson Curve
- How to befriend a stressful moment
- Practical advice on connecting to your values to improve your performance
- Dr. Weisinger’s pressure solutions, from thinking about multiple opportunities to shrinking the importance of a moment
- Reframing how you think about your performance using Ranking Mindset vs. Excellence Mindset
- Practical advice for parents who fear their kids aren’t doing their best (even when they say they are!)
- Dr. Weisinger’s thoughts on applying pressure to our kids
- Expert-approved tips and tricks for upping your parental performance
Resources:
- Buy Dr. Weisinger’s The Unlikely Art of Parental Pressure Lib/E: A Positive Approach to Pushing Your Child to Be Their Best Self
- Check out Dr. Kelly McGonigal’s The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It
- Learn more about the Gottman Institute
- Understand the Yerkes-Dodson Curve
- Attend Diana’s Values-Rich Living Retreat!
- Grab your copy of all our favorite books at bookshop.org/shop/offtheclockpsych.
- Check out Debbie, Diana, Yael, and Jill’s websites to access their offerings, sign up for their newsletters, buy their books, and more!
About Hank Weisinger
Dr. Hank Weisinger is a creator, innovator, practitioner, influential psychologist, and two -time New York Times bestselling author. Performing under pressure, giving and taking criticism, managing emotions, responding effectively to the feelings and emotions of others, motivating oneself and others, and resolving conflict are all “emotional intelligence skills” that are part of Dr. Weisinger’s expertise that has been recognized and sought out by leading business schools, influential government agencies, Fortune 500 Companies and dozens of professional organizations such as The Young Presidents’ Organization.

With the publication of his recent New York Times Bestseller Performing Under Pressure, Dr. Weisinger introduces the concepts of “pressure management” and “pressure coaching” to the corporate world and executive education programs with the major revelation that contrary to conventional wisdom, nobody performs better under pressure – not even Jordan, Jeter and Brady! To bring this knowledge to more people, Dr. Weisinger has transformed Performing Under Pressure into a state of the art empowering E-Course Workshop Experience for businesses and students! For more information on Dr. Weisinger, visit his website at hankweisingerphd.com. Buy his most recent book, The Unlikely Art of Parental Pressure Lib/E: A Positive Approach to Pushing Your Child to Be Their Best Self here!
Related Episodes:
- Episode 172. Performing Under Pressure with Sian Beilock
- Episode 183. Permission to Feel: Emotional Intelligence with Marc Brackett
- Episode 200. Growing Grit with Angela Duckworth
- Episode 203. The Unbreakable Student with Nic Hooper
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