Performance Choking

Did you know that the neurophysiology of performance “choking” (paradoxical performance effects) begins in the brain? It describes a person’s less-than-stellar personal performance when under pressure despite striving for superior performance. Typically, high levels of anxiety result in your attempt to seize conscious control over a task that should be executed automatically.  Ultimately, you fail to trust your highly-honed skills—a syndrome seen in almost any type of performance. Choking is linked with four variables: audience presence, competition, performance-contingent rewards and punishments, and ego relevance of the task. This state of affairs can be managed and often prevented by using the STP antidote. More tomorrow.