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實用英語暢銷書籍，
總結和分享書中精華內容，
每兩周一期，每期5本書，
願你在閱讀的過程中，
不僅提高英語，
更重要的是，從中找到面對生活的智慧和勇氣。
一起加入我們。
-錢林
第七期 第30本
Book No.30 Performing Under Pressure
Hendrie Weisinger & J.P. Pauliw-Fry
考試會緊張，面試會緊張，當眾講話會緊張...但機會往往只有一次，學會如何克服緊張，應對壓力，便學會了如何把握好僅有機會，更好地展現自我，實現自我。學習書中實用的策略和技巧，與壓力共舞，幫助自己走向成功。
以下是本書的精華提煉，只需11分鐘閱讀，
即可幫助你在百忙之中迅速掌握本書的核心內容。
值日小編 Kitty
（參考譯文置於每小節後部）
1/6
What's in it for me: Learn why pressure is your enemy and how you can vanquish it.
Are you one of those people who leaves things to the last minute? Are you convinced that deadline pressure actually makes you work better? You just might be mistaken.
Scientific evidence shows that while pressure may keep us from procrastinating, it nearly always impedes our creativity and makes us reach for the most conventional solutions. Pressure can even distort our thinking or make us freeze up altogether.
It turns out that the most successful people are those who have learned to perform well despite the world breathing down their necks. But how can you master the techniques needed to do the same? These blinks will help you to overcome pressure and make yourself a productive powerhouse.
（參考譯文）
1. 對我有什麼幫助：了解為什麼壓力是你的敵人，怎樣才能戰勝它。
你是那種把事情拖到最後一刻才做的人嗎？你是否相信一件事最後期限這種壓力可以讓你工作的更好，你可能犯了一個錯誤。
科學證據表明，雖然壓力可能會使我們不再拖延，但它幾乎總是阻礙我們的創造力，讓我們以最常規的方式去解決問題。壓力甚至可以扭曲我們的思維或者凍結我們的想法。
事實證明，最成功的人是那些儘管壓力達到仿佛全世界都在脖子上勒著你呼吸，但卻學會表現出良好的自己的人。可是你怎麼能掌握同樣的技巧呢？接下來這些將會幫助你克服壓力並成為一名極高效率的強者。
2/6
Focus on the now to conquer stress. Focus on success to conquer feelings of pressure.
Think about taking an important exam. Are you afraid, eager? Do your palms sweat, or nerves twitch?
The sensations you felt in that moment are typical of high-pressure situations. Unfortunately, pressure and stress can hamper your performance when it’s most essential that you succeed.
Pressure moments can affect performance in everything, from your day job to your relationships.
Harvard Business School professor Teresa Amabile’s research into creativity in the workplace discovered that pressure negatively affects both creativity and productivity. Although some workers felt more creative when under pressure, the fact of the matter is that while they were certainly completing tasks, their performance was actually on a much lower creative level.
Pressure affects more than work. The secret to a successful relationship isn’t chemistry between partners but a pair’s ability to interact in pressure moments.
For example, couples who criticize each other, saying things like 「You’re too selfish,」 put a tremendous amount of pressure on a relationship. As a result, the partnership suffers as each individual inevitably feels dissatisfied with the other.
Stress, on the other hand, occurs in different scenarios.
While it’s common to experience pressure in situations where success is crucial, like during a college entrance exam, we tend to experience stress in situations with too many demands and too few resources, such as a work day with lots of back-to-back meetings.
But what’s the connection between pressure and stress?
Stress affects us just like pressure by decreasing our creativity. But stress is a different phenomenon and therefore begs a different solution than does pressure.
The trick to dealing with stressful situations is reduction. For instance, focusing on only what you’re doing right now will help you manage stress.
But in a pressure situation, you should focus on the final result, whether it means safely landing a helicopter or winning a basketball game. In short, this means in pressure moments you should focus on success and adapt your behavior to constantly advance.
（參考譯文）
2. 專注於現在，克服緊張感。集中精力戰勝壓力。
試想一下你要參加一個很重要的考試。你害怕嗎？渴望嗎？你是不是手心出汗，還是神經抽搐？
你在那一刻感受到的感覺是典型的高壓症狀。不幸的是，當你希望得到成功的時候，壓力和緊張感可能會阻礙你的表現。
壓力時刻會影響你在一切情況下的表現，從日常工作到人際關係。
哈佛商學院教授Teresa Amabile對不同工作場所下人創造力的研究表明壓力對創造力和效率都有負面影響。雖然有些工作者感覺在壓力下更有創意，但事實上他們只是在完成任務，他們的表現比實際自己的能力要低得多。
壓力影響的不僅僅是工作。成功關係的秘訣不是夥伴之間的一種化學反應，而是雙方在壓力下胡工的能力。
例如，兩個人互相爭吵，說「你太自私」，給雙方的關係施加了很大的壓力。這樣，這種夥伴關係就會收到損害，因為每個人都不可避免地會對另一方感到不滿。
另一方面，緊張會發生在不同的情況下。
雖然在成功至關重要的情況下，比如說高考，經常會感到壓力。但我們往往會在需求多過資源的情況下感到緊張，比如說工作日的時候一個接著一個的會議。
但是壓力和緊張之間有什麼聯繫呢？
緊張感對我們的影響就像是降低了我們創造力的壓力。但是緊張是另一種現象，因此，針對不同的壓力有不同的解決方式。
處理緊張情況的訣竅是減少。例如，只關注你現在正在做的事情將幫助你管理緊張感。
但是在處理壓力的情況下，你應該把重點放在最後的結果上，不管是安全降落直升機還是贏得籃球比賽。總之，這意味著在壓力來的時候，你應該把重點放在最後的成功，並不管的調整自己的行為。
3/6
Pressure can reduce your ability to perform in an instant, just through the way you think.
Have you ever started a presentation with the idea that every word you said would be perfect?
Of course – we all put pressure on ourselves to do so. But it’s essentially counterproductive.
Why?
Because doing so leads to a specific type of failure caused by pressure, called choking. Here’s how it works.
Pressure tends to mess with your performance system, things such as physical arousal, thoughts and behavior. Disturbing any one of these can undermine your whole system.
For instance, say you’re giving a speech and can feel the pressure building up: your heart races, your mind goes blank and you can barely read the words in front of you. You’re choking!
Pressure can also affect your memory. For example, in pressure moments you tend to actively monitor your own performance, thereby consuming your brain’s resources.
What happens when you do this?
Your procedural memory, a crucial function that helps you perform complex tasks without thinking, is blocked. Imagine that a friend has been rehearsing for a piano recital for weeks. But when she gets on stage, she starts paying close attention to her every move and all of a sudden, can’t recall a single note.
In other words, she chokes. But how does this happen at all?
A simple thing, such as your perspective on a situation could trigger pressure – and even lead to depression. Here’s how this works.
Your cognitive appraisals, which determine how you see the world, are affected by pressure leading to a phenomenon known as cognitive distortions, an effect so strong that it can produce anxiety and depression.
For instance, thinking that you 「need」something, like a new car, puts pressure on yourself and risks making you ill. To control a distorted reality, it’s essential to take control of your words.
Therefore, instead of thinking 「I need a car,」 think 「I want a car.」 The pressure of the sentence, and of the situation overall, will be immediately reduced.
（參考譯文）
3. 壓力會降低你瞬間完成的能力，就像你想的那樣。
你有沒有出現過這樣的想法：你說的每一句話都是完美的？
當然，我們都在對自己施加壓力，但這基本上適得其反。
為什麼？
因為這樣做會導致出現由壓力引起的特定類型的故障，稱之為窒息。以下是它的原理。
壓力會影響你的表現系統，比如身體的覺醒、思想和行為。打擾其中任何一個都會破壞你的整個系統。
比如說，你正在做一個演講，可以感受到壓力不斷增加：你的心臟在跳動，你的大腦一片空白，你幾乎看不清面前的文字，你窒息了！
壓力也會影響你的記憶力。比如，處在壓力下時，你更加傾向於去主動監控你的行為，從而消耗你的大腦資源。
當你這樣做的時候會發生什麼？
你的程序記憶是一個很關鍵的功能，可以幫助你不需要思考就能完成複雜的任務。想像一下，一個朋友已經排練了幾個星期的鋼琴獨奏會。但是當她登臺的時候，她開始密切關注自己的一舉一動，突然間，不記得一個音符。
換句話說，她窒息了。但是這是怎麼發生的呢？
一個簡單的事情，比如你對形勢的看法可能會引發壓力，甚至導致抑鬱。這是如何工作的呢。
你的認知評估決定了你對世界的看法，它受到壓力的影響，你的壓力會導致一種被稱為認知扭曲的現象，這種影響非常強烈，會產生焦慮和抑鬱。
例如，認為你「需要」某樣東西，比如一輛新車，會給自己帶來壓力，也會讓你生病。為了控制一個扭曲的現實，控制你的話語是很重要的。
因此，與其想「我需要一輛車」，不如想一想「我想要一輛車」，這句話的壓力和整體情況馬上就會降低。
4/6
Handle pressure situations with the right strategies. A good rule of thumb: Chill out a bit!.
So we know that pressure is bad, but how can you deal with it?
There are simple ways to minimize pressure and reduce your worries.
For instance, an easy strategy to adopt is to not take things too seriously. This works by reducing pressure and therefore your fear of failure.
Imagine you’re heading to an important interview and really feeling the pressure. Your friend asks you, 「What’s the worst that could happen?」 and tells you to relax.
While you probably have the urge to snap ather, she might have a point. Because being able to see your situation as normal reduces the pressure you』ve built and leaves you free to do your best.
After all, worrying too much about failure can be a distraction from what you have to do. So make it your goal to keep your head clear and focused.
But how do you do this?
Instead of worrying about what the interviewer might ask you, focus on what you need to do to shine. Do plenty of research and rehearse what you’re going to say.
Another trick to dealing with pressure works by helping you remember your values amid high-stakes scenarios. Here’show it works.
In pressure moments, you can be so eager to do what’s expected of you that you forget your personal values. To ensure this doesn’t happen, you should prepare for such moments by listing your values in order of relative importance.
For example, success might be very important to you, but fairness more so. Say your boss expects you to strike a deal with a new company, but over the course of negotiations you discover that the agreement would require you to underpay your employees to meet the company’s rock-bottom price expectations.
Since you know that fairness is more important to you than success, it will be that much easier to avoid that pressure to accept the company’s unfair conditions.
（參考譯文）
4. 用正確的策略處理壓力情況。一個很好的經驗法則：放鬆一點！
所以我們知道壓力是不好的，但是怎麼處理呢？
有簡單的方法來減少壓力，減少你的後顧之憂。
例如，採取一個簡單的策略就是不要把事情看得太重。這可以減輕壓力，從而減少對失敗的恐懼。
想像一下你要去參加一個重要的面試並且感到很大的壓力。你的朋友問你，「最壞能壞到哪裡呢？」並告訴你放鬆。
儘管你可能有衝動對她義正言辭的說一番，但她可能有道理。因為她能夠正常地看待你的處境，可以減少你所建立的壓力，讓你盡最大努力做到最好。
畢竟，過分擔心失敗會使你分心。所以讓你保持頭腦清醒和專注。
但是，你如何做到這一點呢？
不要擔心面試官可能會問你什麼，而是應該專注於你需要做的事情上。做大量的研究並排練你要說的話。
對付壓力的另一個訣竅是幫助你在高風險情景中記住自己的價值觀。以下是它如何起作用的。
在壓力時刻，你十分渴望做你期望的事情，以至於你忘記了你的個人價值觀。為了確保這種情況不會發生，你應該以相對重要性的順序列出你的價值觀來準備這樣的時刻。
例如，成功可能對你很重要，但公平對你來說更重要。假設你的老闆希望你和一個新公司達成協議，但是在談判的過程中你發現達成這個協議將要求你付你的員工很低的工資以達到公司的最低預期價格。
既然你知道公平對你來說比成功更重要，那就更容易避免接受公司不公平條件的壓力。
5/6
Confidence and optimism are the first key attributes to handling and defeating pressure.
To do your best when it counts, it’s essential to develop attributes that help you thrive in pressure moments.
Consider these qualities your 「COTE」 of armor: Confidence, Optimism, Tenacity and Enthusiasm.
Confidence is key to keep you pressing ahead when the going gets tough.
As your self-confidence increases, your anxiety reduces and it becomes easier to perform well under pressure. In fact, several studies have demonstrated that people with higher confidence perform better, work harder, persist longer and even consider themselves smarter and more attractive than their peers.
It’s easy to increase your own confidence simply by striking a high-power pose.
Begin by physically opening your body, lifting your arms up, standing straight and pulling your shoulders back. Stand like this for a couple of minutes. This confidence-building posture is enough to lower your stress hormones and boost your testosterone, giving you more courage!
Like confidence, optimism will help you move forward despite pressure.
If you look at things positively and have good expectations for the future, you』ll be more likely to do things that are uncomfortable now, like taking risks or working hard.
Debra is a young woman who, after a terrible car accident, suffered from multiple fractures and months and months of a difficult, painful recovery.
Yet Debra was still grateful to be alive each and every day. Her positive attitude was so powerful it gave her the strength to keep working and got her back on her feet.
How can you develop an optimistic attitude?
Try starting your days by appreciating every little thing around you. Things like a cozy bed, fresh air and your loving family. By cherishing the small things, you』ll learn to see the positive side in every situation.
Now that you know about confidence and optimism, it’s time to complete your 「COTE」 of armor with tenacity and enthusiasm.
（參考譯文）
5. 自信和樂觀是處理和戰勝壓力的首要關鍵要素。
要做到最好，關鍵是要開發能幫助你在壓力下不斷成長的特性。
把「COTE」這些特質看作你的鎧甲：自信，樂觀，堅韌和熱情。
信心是讓你在困難時勇往直前的關鍵。
隨著你自信心的增強，你的焦慮會減少，在壓力下會表現的更好。事實上，一些研究已經證明自信較高的人表現得更好，工作更努力，堅持得更久，甚至認為自己比同齡人聰明，更有魅力。
簡單的通過強有力的姿態可以很容易增加你的自信心。
從打開你的身體開始，舉起雙臂，站直，將肩膀往回拉。以這樣的姿態站立幾分鐘。這種自信的姿態足以降低你的壓力荷爾蒙，提高你的睪丸激素，給你更多的勇氣！
像自信一樣，樂觀會幫助你在壓力下前進。
如果你積極地看待事情，對未來抱有良好的期望，那麼你現在就會更喜歡做一些不舒服的事情，比如冒險或者努力工作。
Debra是一個年輕女子，在一次可怕的車禍之後，她遭受了多處骨折，月復一月艱難、痛苦的康復過程。
但是Debra依然懷著感激之情度過每一天。她積極的態度是如此強大，使她有力量繼續工作，讓她站起來。
你怎樣才能養成樂觀的態度？
試著以珍惜身邊的每一件小事來開始你的生活。像舒適的床，新鮮的空氣和你愛的家庭。珍惜小事情，你會學會在每一種情況下看到積極的一面。
現在你已經對自信和樂觀了解了，現在是時候用堅韌和熱情來完成你的盔甲——「COTE」了。
6/6
Tenacity and enthusiasm complete your 「COTE」 of armor. Pressure doesn’t stand a chance!
Confidence and optimism are great forgetting you moving when things get tough, but to keep moving forward despite constant pressure, you』ll also need tenacity.
Tenacity comes into play when there is a goal for which you want to strive.
Because when you’re working to achieve something you want, you』ll put up with challenges and frustrations you』d never otherwise tolerate.
For example, say you’re scared of speaking in public, but want to inspire your classmates to care about animal rights. You』d likely be willing to stomach the fear of delivering a speech that would make them all give up their ham sandwiches!
Tenacity can get you to do things you wouldn’t otherwise think yourself capable, but enthusiasm will help you stay passionate and creative in spite of pressure.
Enthusiasm gives you energy to keep working and doing your best. It can be like a virus in that it is quickly catching, positively affecting those around you.
Even in situations where pressure has almost killed your creativity, enthusiasm can kick it back into gear!
For instance, when under pressure to produce results, it’s common to narrow your scope and work toward any solution. But if you’re passionate about what you’re doing, you’re likely to broaden your mind in search of something truly original.
So the next time you face a high-pressure moment, such as giving a speech before the board of directors, be sure to act enthusiastically so you will feel enthusiastic. If you need an enthusiasm boost try laughing, recall a positive memory or listen to upbeat music.
（參考譯文）
6. 用堅韌和熱情完成你的盔甲「COTE」。壓力就會沒生存的機會！
當事情變得艱難的時候，信心和樂觀是讓你前進的動力，但你在壓力不斷的情況下要繼續前行還需要堅韌。
當你有一個想爭取的目標的時候，堅韌就會發揮作用。
因為當你努力達到你想要的東西時，你將忍受你從未容忍過的挑戰和挫折。
舉例來說，假設你很害怕在公眾場合演講，但是你卻想要激發你的同學們去關注動物的權利。你可能會忍受對演講的恐懼，讓他們都放棄他們的火腿三明治。
堅韌能讓你做一些你自己認為沒有能力的事情，但熱情會幫助你在壓力下保持熱情和創造力。
熱情讓你有精力繼續工作，做到最好。這就像是病毒一樣快速捕捉，很快對你周圍的人產生積極的影響。
即使壓力幾乎會殺死你的創造力，熱情也可以使其重新啟動！
例如，在壓力下去尋找結果的時候，通常會縮小範圍去尋找解決辦法。但是，如果你對你所做的事情充滿了激情，那麼你可能會開闊自己的想法去尋找真正本真的東西。
所以如果下一次你面臨高壓的時候，比如說在董事會上進行演講，一定要積極行動，你會感受到熱情。如果你需要一個熱情來促進，嘗試笑出來，回憶一個積極的記憶或者聽樂觀的音樂。
The key message in this book:
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