For most people, simply getting the job done or reaching a typical goal is enough. But for some, the need to excel above and beyond everybody else is the difference between success and failure. From athletes and musicians to high-powered executives, academics and top professionals, the need to perform is non-negotiable. But how do these elite performers handle the pressure, and, more importantly, how do they develop the necessary mindset to get to the very top?
We explore what it means to succeed as an elite professional or top performer. This post discusses the demands on talented people and the pressure that comes with delivering on high expectations. We also look at how hypnotherapy can help elite professionals and top performers not just cope with the burden of high expectations but also figure out how to overcome it on the road to extraordinary success.
The Need to Perform
There once was a time when only a tiny fraction of society was expected to outperform the rest. These ‘elites’ often enjoyed the benefits of an exceptional education, exposure to world-class resources or astonishing physical gifts on their way to the top.
Today, however, we live in a world where many professions, fields and cultures demand ever-higher levels of performance. From children facing massive workloads at school to extreme competition at university, hyper-complex jobs and career development requirements that rival many CEOs’, the need to perform has never been higher.
So how, then, are elite professionals and top performers expected to handle the stresses and anxieties that come with being at the top of their game? Aside from leading a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a strong focus on achieving their goals, these top talents can turn to other resources that provide powerful tools to help them on their road to success. One of these is hypnotherapy.
Why The Pressure to Succeed Is So High
Before we examine just how hypnotherapy can help those looking to conquer life, let’s touch on why many of us are today feeling the pressure of working or living in the top categories of society.
Competition
Never before has competition on the sports field, in the classroom, in the office or on the social scene been so high. While top performances and elite professions were once dominated by those from so-called ‘1st-world’ countries, much of the rest of the globe has caught up, driving competition beyond the regional field and onto a global scale.
Just look at the recently completed Olympic Games. Where countries like the USA and Russia once completely dominated the medal table, nations like China are quickly catching up. The same goes for professional expertise. As educational offerings improve worldwide, long-ignored talent is now emerging, challenging the status quo everywhere, from healthcare to information technology and finance.
Access to Resources
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, one unexpected benefit emerged from the crisis. Skills development opportunities and the emergence of accessible, affordable online resources exploded. Where further education and training were previously contained within corporate environments or expensive in-person classes, people soon discovered a world of new resources that have only grown since.
This has led to many millions discovering unknown talents, quickly improving their skill levels and driving the need to succeed more than ever before. As these resources continue to improve and proliferate, so too will the expanding field of top performers and elite professionals.
The Weight of Expectation
In this more competitive, resource-rich environment, what was once seen as the exception has now become the norm. Parents expect more from their kids. Employers demand more from their personnel. And society is asking for ever-increasing success from its people.
As expectation grows, more people enter the realm of top-performing elites. While this represents progress and positive growth, it also brings an added weight many of us are not prepared for: Stress, anxiety and a booming fear of failure.
The Risks of Being So Good at What You Do
While everybody dreams of reaching the top, getting there is almost always a challenging experience. Plus, once you’ve reached the summit of expectation, you’ll quickly find yourself with a target on your back as others challenge your success or jealously and quietly hope for your demise.
Success is a wonderful thing, but depending on where you’re excelling, it can come with some pitfalls. Stress, anxiety and fear are all part and parcel of being a modern-day top performer or elite professional. Lawyers are required to spend countless hours practising their craft. Doctors are almost constantly faced with the pressure not to make mistakes. Athletes worry about injury and missing out by fractions of a second. Financial professionals confront risks so high that it can ruin them overnight. And exceptional parents, having spent almost two decades raising their children, must now count on them to succeed.
There are different degrees of pressures facing those at the top of their games and professions, and many are manageable. But some of these challenges require a helping hand, or they can quickly become the thing that brings top performers down.
Even The Best People Need Support to Perform
How often have we seen the very best of us crumble and fail when it matters most? Whether it’s a politician completely flubbing an interview weeks before an election, an actor putting in a ruinous performance on stage, or the newly minted executive dropping the ball during that all-important presentation, even the most talented people trip up.
Human beings possess powerful coping mechanisms that help us navigate treacherous, high-pressure situations. Our brains are wired to solve problems on the run. Using our critical reasoning and logic capabilities, we have a potent ability to deliver when it counts.
But the modern world has progressed far quicker than evolution has allowed our brains to develop, making it more likely to fail and underperform when we need to. This is why we require some support when it comes to beating off the stress of performing.
Hypnotherapy and Coping with The Stress of Performing
Hypnotherapy can help us to find the necessary state of mind that allows us to maximise our potential. Effective hypnotherapy can also tap into the things that threaten or hold us back, addressing the root causes of performance risks like:
- Feelings of inadequacy
- Imposter syndrome
- Distractions
- Failure trauma
- Performance anxiety
Hypnotherapy is designed to reach the subconscious, helping the client to unpack and sort through mental barriers, obstacles and anything else stopping them from reaching their potential. Once identified, the therapist can work to address these issues, teaching techniques and methods the client can use to overcome these challenges to help them succeed.
Perform with Hypnocare
At Hypnocare, we know what it takes to succeed, especially for those already at the very top. We’re all about understanding the specific needs of our clients, working together to optimise our time with them and helping them to reach the heights they hope to achieve. Our therapists are carefully trained to address, through specialised relaxation therapies, a wide and varied range of mental issues that can inhibit you from reaching your goals.
Reach out and learn about everything we can offer you on your road to success. Feel free to explore our website, read through some of our testimonials and chat with us directly. You may be just one session away from your next big break, promotion or record!
