The two police officers cautiously approached the front door of the house.  They had earlier received a call alerting them that a suspected dangerous criminal was inside the house.  They knew they had back up, but still felt their hearts pounding like bass drums.  They knocked on the door…

The ball was 30 feet from the hole and he only needed two putts to win.  If he two-putted it would be his first competition win.  The putter felt heavy in his hands and his sense of feel for hitting the ball the correct distance seemed to desert him.  His first putt finished four feet short of the hole…

This was her opportunity to shine.  In the previous week’s product development meeting she had made some recommendations about re-branding the company in front of more senior staff.  While a little dubious of her experience, they invited her to present her re-branding designs at the next development meeting…this one.  She was nervous, but proud of the work she had done.  She opened her folio…

All three of these people will be sensing pressure; however they are each experiencing a different type of pressure.  The police officers faced a very real threat of physical danger.  The golfer didn’t face any physical danger but the fears from manufactured mental demons.  The girl created a pressure that excited and inspired her to be at her most creative, especially knowing that if her designs were accepted it could be a huge boost for her career.

The third type of pressure is the one we should all strive for.  Set yourself challenges that will stretch your current capabilities.  Do things that, while they might make you nervous, provide an opportunity for real personal, business or sporting development.

For a golfer it can mean creating challenging drills in practice, striving to beat a personal best score for putting, pitching or hitting full shots into a narrow target area.  Add fun to your challenge by doing things such as shot shaping or giving yourself three attempts to hit a difficult shot.

The other aspect of practicing this way is that there is a greater likelihood of transfer to the golf course.  And that is what we all want.

What are the novel ways you can experience this type of pressure, by design?