Being a champion isn't just about talent—it’s about staying loose and trusting your training under pressure.

Higher stakes shift focus from playing to protecting—and that tightens performance.

Champions regulate pressure, drop mistakes fast, and refocus immediately.

In March Madness—where every possession can end a season—the difference between contenders and champions isn’t just talent, it’s who can stay composed and rise when the moment gets heavy.

Anyone who has watched children play sports can see this in action. Young athletes run, throw, and react instinctively. Mistakes don’t derail them—they recover and keep moving. Their focus is on the game itself, not the outcome.

To explore this further, I spoke with Dr. Klara Gubacs-Collins, a lifelong athlete, performance strategist, and former professor who has worked in elite environments. She notes that what separates top performers isn’t the absence of pressure—they feel it too—but they’ve learned to regulate it, stay present, perform under pressure, and execute when it matters most. These lessons aren’t just for elite athletes—they apply to anyone facing high-stakes moments, whether in work, school, or everyday challenges.

The Escalation of Stakes

As individuals take on greater challenges and stakes rise, even small mistakes can trigger stress responses that disrupt focus and execution—a pattern observed in research on stress, anxiety, and performance.

For example, studies with athlete populations show that as expectations and perceived pressure increase, so do stress and anxiety levels, which can interfere with attention and decision-making. For example, research on volleyball players found that higher perceived stress and learning-related anxiety were linked to greater psychological strain. In short, the more our identity is tied to the outcome, the more our nervous system treats mistakes as threats rather than useful information.

For instance, an athlete might play confidently when no one is watching and the stakes feel low. But as recognition grows and the spotlight tightens, suddenly every move carries weight—they’re no longer just chasing a chance, they’re defending their reputation.

This shift affects how top performers operate. According to Dr. Gubacs-Collins, “Instead of focusing on demonstrating skill, many begin trying to protect their status.” She notes that when every action feels consequential, stress tied to identity can interfere with performance, making even simple movements feel tense rather than natural.

Shifting Under Pressure

One of the most significant changes in high performance happens quietly. Early on, performing feels simple: play the game, trust your training, react. But as the stage grows, the moment begins to feel heavier.

Higher stakes bring more attention, greater expectations, and more to lose. In psychology, this can be explained by the attentional control theory, which shows that anxiety can pull focus away from the task and toward worries about judgment, outcomes, or consequences. Under pressure, the brain shifts from focusing on what needs to be done to what might happen, and that shift can disrupt performance.

As Dr. Gubacs-Collins explains, “When the stage grows, identity pressure grows with it. Champions aren’t immune—they’re trained to regulate it.” Even under intense pressure, top performers feel the same weight but stay anchored in the moment, trusting their training to guide their actions when it matters most.

Emotional Regulation as a Competitive Advantage

At elite levels, emotional regulation is a real advantage. Recent research shows that when athletes actively manage their emotions during competition, their performance outcomes improve even under pressure. For example, a 2025 study tracking emotion regulation and performance in shooting athletes found that the way competitors regulated their emotional responses during competition was linked to differences in execution and scores, highlighting how emotional control supports focus and motor performance when stakes are high. It determines whether muscle memory stays accessible under adrenaline, whether breathing steadies, and whether decisions remain clear or turn reactive. High-level performance doesn’t require less emotion—it requires better regulation of it. The goal isn’t to suppress intensity, but to keep it from spilling over.

Dr. Gubacs-Collins indicates that “when mistakes happen, contenders often get pulled backward, replaying the error and carrying it into the next moment. Champions respond differently. They process it quickly, let it go, and return their attention to what’s in front of them.”

Action Steps to Start Performing Like a Champion

Whether you are an elite athlete, a musician, a CEO, or facing any high-pressure situation, performing at your best comes down to mindset and habits you can train and apply consistently. Here are five practical steps to help you perform at your peak:

Separate Identity from Outcome: Recognize that mistakes do not define your worth. Your value exists independently of wins or losses. Pause after errors, label them objectively, and remind yourself, “This moment doesn’t determine who I am.” Reflect regularly on effort and growth, not just results.

Train Emotional Regulation: Regularly and intentionally practice ways to stay calm and focused under pressure. Dr. Gubacs-Collins recommends trying deep breathing, taking a quick pause between plays or decisions, or visualizing your next move. Creating these small routines may help your mind reset when tension builds.

Shift From Proving to Creating: Focus on expressing your skill, not validating status or protecting reputation. Set intentions before performing—for example, tell yourself, “I’m here to show my craft, not defend my worth.” Be mindful to reframe errors as learning opportunities, and celebrate effort and execution, not just outcomes.

Leverage Practice Fully: Use practice to refine skills, then allow performance to flow naturally during high-stakes moments. Break skills into manageable components, simulate pressure during practice, and trust your preparation instead of overthinking during execution.

Redefine Success Continuously: Last, treat performance as growth and expression, not a fixed measure of your identity or value. Try to regularly reflect on what you’ve learned, adjust goals as you improve, and embrace challenges as opportunities to expand your capabilities.

True champions aren’t defined by talent alone—they rise by mastering their mindset, staying present under pressure, and managing their emotions. When you focus on how you show up, not just the outcome, you unlock your ability to perform at your very best when it matters most. Every moment is an opportunity to grow, adapt, and prove to yourself what you’re capable of.

© 2026 Ryan C. Warner, Ph.D.

Eysenck, M. W., Moser, J. S., Derakshan, N., Hepsomali, P., & Allen, P. (2023). A neurocognitive account of attentional control theory: how does trait anxiety affect the brain’s attentional networks?. Cognition and Emotion, 37(2), 220-237.

Li, Y. (2025). Structural modelling of student volleyball athletes’ intimacy, social adjustment, perceived stress, and learning-related anxiety: mediating role of psychological safety. BMC psychology, 13(1), 15.

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