Have you heard? " 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ "
There’s this little thing happening called the world cup. Some of you may think it’s the most boring event the world has to see, others will love every minute but whatever your thoughts, there is always a lot of interesting psychology in the background.
England have reached the last 8 and they are playing Sweden. Before the tournament started, nobody gave them a chance but they played extremely well in their first two games. Suddenly, with some of the favourites for the tournament going out, many people IN England seem to think they’ll get to the final and maybe even win it.
I’m not so sure. Of course, they have a chance and I’d love them to but actually, I think that one of the biggest obstacles to their success is that it is now a genuine possibility. Whenever that’s been the case in the past, they’ve collapsed under the pressure.
There's lots of research around this and I find it a fascinating topic. Pressure can create focus and ensure people remain 'in the zone' rather than being distracted. Too much can be a source of anxiety and a distraction in itself, meaning performance suffers. Business can learn a lot from elite sport, where mental toughness / resilience has long been a key part of training. As has rest and recuperation. Let's hope England have got better at it than in previous years .
