High Pressure

Here's something I was reminded of this week. Humans thrive on pressure. Faced with a challenge or a tough situation, more often that not, we rise to the occasion.

I felt that this week during my reporting assignment in San Diego to cover a trade negotiation. At first I was apprehensive about the trip, knowing that I would be working nonstop for roughly four days and under pressure (internal and external) to produce at least two articles a day. 

That combined with the difficulty of getting usable information out of a top-secret trade negotiation made me cautious at first, and I accepted the gig in large part out of a feeling of obligation to my employer, and a fear that I would appear weak or unmotivated if I declined.

But once I made that decision, I was determined to throw myself into the dragon pit and make the best of it. The first day was the most nerve-racking, preoccupied as I was with a fear of failure and not being able to produce.

Then things started to get going. I got a few tidbits the first day from talking to non-government sources. Once I had enough information to potentially write a story, I was able to confirm the information with a U.S. government official in order to have more solid footing.

By the second day, I was in the full swing of things and feeling the excitement of getting a scoop I knew that no one else had.

That excitement culminated on the fourth and final day of my trip, when I had a 40 minute interview with a U.S. government official two hours before I was due to file my stories for our weekly issue. Working under the pressure of that looming deadline, I was able to bang out my stories with speed that all of my colleagues will tell you is uncharacteristic of my normal work flow.

Which brings me back to my philosophical waxing at the beginning of this post. This experience made me realize that even I perform better when under pressure -- like that most primitive of my ancestors who were able to run faster and think quicker when faced with mortal danger such as an attack by a predator.

While the pressure of being on assignment and under deadline pressure can hardly be compared to mortal danger, it at least made me think of professional sports players, who often outperform when they are under pressure -- such as baseball player batting with runners in scoring position with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. 

I am always amazed at how they can stand there with thousands of people watching -- ready to cheer if they deliver or jeer if they fail -- and still come through in a clutch situation. But this week I realized that the pressure of that situation actually works in their favor, giving them the extra strength, speed and accuracy they need to come through in a tough spot.