Choke

Why do you mess up when it matters the most---and how can you perform your best instead?

It happens to all of us. You've prepared for days, weeks, even years, for the big day when you will finally show your stuff-in academia, in your career, in sport-but when the big moment arrives, nothing seems to work. You hit the wrong note, drop the ball, get stumped by a simple question. In other words, you choke. But now there's good news: this doesn't have to happen. Dr Sian Beilock, an expert on performance and brain science, reveals in Choke the new science of why we all too often blunder when the stakes are high. What happens in our brain and body when we experience the dreaded performance anxiety? And what are we doing differently when everything magically 'clicks' into place and the perfect golf swing, tricky test problem or high-pressure business pitch becomes easy? In an energetic tour of the latest research, Beilock explains the inescapable links between body and mind, and shows how to succeed brilliantly when it matters most. Whether you're at the Olympics, in the boardroom, or sitting for exams, Beilock's clear, prescriptive guidance shows how to remain cool under pressure-the key to performing well when everything's on the line.