Nerves of Steel

Performing in the decisive moment is key, especially in sport. The difference between who excels and who succumbs to pressure, or chokes, is literally game-changing. Nerves of Steel reveals what we can learn from athletes about thriving when the heat is on. By combining insights from statistics, philosophy and neuropsychology, Ger Post shows that the secrets of famous clutch performances do not lie in Cristiano Ronaldo's iron will, the German soccer team's winning mentality or Matildas' goalie Mackenzie Arnold's self-belief. Succeeding under pressure is not some heroic story of exceptional character or a sense of invincibility. Nor is it about boosting confidence, getting into a flow or thinking positively. When we look beyond the hype, stereotypes and sexism, real-world models emerge showing that high-level achievement is about doing what is right and smart, regardless of how we feel in the moment. The difference between choking and triumph is in improving our response to adversity and focusing on the things we can control when everything falls apart.

Ger Post is a lecturer at the University of Melbourne. He has taught workshops in critical thinking to elite sports coaches in The Netherlands and Australia. As a lived experience expert he has learnt that the emergence of a Dutch accent is usually the first indication that he is about to choke under pressure.