Several times I have watched elite level sport on TV and heard commentators infer that a certain player appears to have ‘more time’ available to them than the other athletes on the same pitch, court or track. This highly-regarded quality of having ‘more time’ seems to give that player a performance advantage over their opposition. It is a quality that seems to further elevate the most elite sports men and women. They almost seem unplayable or untouchable in moments that demand fast, almost reflexive, decision making.

Although the specifics and context vary, the main factors I consider when designing a training session for elite-level athletes have huge crossover to the training and development of people across industries and work sectors. I believe that the aim of training is to enhance the capability of the participant(s) by continually refining, growing and developing their skill sets. If you, like me, are trying to increase the performance potential of yourself, or others, this article will be of interest.

We all, myself included, will feel pressure to perform at some point. That could be a job interview, school or university exams, a driving test, starting a new business, a police officer attempting to de-escalate a potentially violent situation or public speaking. You may feel pressure giving direct and honest feedback to a trusted friend or to a highly respected senior work colleague, attempting to score a winning penalty kick in a football competition or making a crucial sales pitch to potential investors.