Just in case it has passed you by, tomorrow night at 8pm, England take on Argentina in a World Cup semi-final. Millions will be watching. Expectations will be sky-high, emotions will be running deep, and every player will feel the weight of the occasion.
While most of us will experience the game from the comfort of our sofas, the psychological challenge facing the players is one that many of us can relate to. Whether it’s delivering an important presentation, competing in a sporting event, attending a job interview or sitting an exam, the anticipation before a big event can often be more difficult than the event itself.
From a coaching perspective, pressure has a remarkable way of influencing our thinking. When the stakes are high, our minds naturally drift towards worst-case scenarios: What if I make a mistake? What if I let people down? What if I fail? These thoughts are entirely human, but if we allow them to dominate our thinking, they can undermine confidence before we’ve even begun.
One of the key messages I share with clients is that nerves are not something to get rid of, they’re something to understand. Feeling nervous usually means that what you’re about to do matters to you. Rather than viewing anxiety as a weakness, we can reframe it as a sign that we’re preparing to perform.
Elite athletes know this well. England’s players won’t be trying to eliminate their nerves tomorrow evening. Instead, they’ll rely on routines they’ve developed over years of training. Controlled breathing, visualisation, sticking to familiar pre-match habits and focusing on their specific roles rather than the magnitude of the occasion all help keep them grounded in the present moment.
From a coaching perspective, this shift in focus is crucial. We perform at our best when we concentrate on what we can control, rather than what we can’t. We can’t control the opposition, the referee, public opinion or even the final score. What we can control is our preparation, our mindset, our effort and how we respond when things don’t go to plan.
The same applies in everyday life. If you’re facing an important meeting, interview or challenge this week, ask yourself: What is within my control today? That simple question often helps move us away from worry and back towards purposeful action.
Another coaching technique is to break the challenge into smaller, manageable moments. England won’t win the semi-final in the opening five minutes. Success will come from making good decisions, staying composed and focusing on one passage of play at a time. Likewise, you don’t need to solve your entire challenge all at once. Concentrate on the next conversation, the next task or the next step.
Perhaps the greatest lesson from both coaching and elite sport is that courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s choosing to act despite it.
Tomorrow night, as England walk out to face Argentina, they will almost certainly feel nervous. That’s not a sign they’re unprepared; it’s a sign they’re competing on one of the biggest stages in world football. Their success will depend not on eliminating pressure, but on trusting their preparation and staying connected to the process.
As a coach, I believe this is a lesson we can all take into our own lives. The moments that matter most will often bring the greatest nerves. Rather than trying to avoid those feelings, we can recognise them as evidence that we’re stretching ourselves, growing and stepping into opportunities that truly matter.
After all, pressure is a privilege. The real skill is learning to perform alongside it, not in spite of it.