What a last-minute kick can teach us about performance under pressure.

As an England rugby fan, watching Thomas Ramos kick the winning conversion in the dying seconds of the Six Nations Rugby Championship decider this weekend, I was filled with disappointment but also admiration for his ability to perform under the pressure of not only French hopes but also Irish dreams.

To me, moments like this are fascinating because they reveal something universal about performance under pressure — something that is just as relevant in classrooms, boardrooms, theatres and exam halls as it is on a rugby pitch.

In the seconds before a moment of pressure, our bodies naturally enter a heightened state of alertness. The heart rate increases. Breathing becomes shallower. Muscles tighten. The mind races through possible outcomes.

This response is completely normal. It is the body's way of preparing us to act.

But if that stress response becomes too strong, performance can suffer. Skills we have practised hundreds of times suddenly feel harder to access. The mind can go blank. Overthinking can creep in.

People under pressure to perform, whether executives, athletes, musicians or actors all face this challenge — and so do students sitting exams. With mocks over and summer exams fast approaching, many students may be starting to feel their anxiety levels rising.

Why Students Experience the Same Pressure

For many pupils, the exam hall can feel remarkably similar to that moment before a decisive kick.There is silence. There is expectation. There is often the feeling that everything depends on what happens next.

Even well-prepared students sometimes find that anxiety interferes with their ability to recall information or concentrate fully. I remember sitting in my Economics A Level exam in a blind panic, feeling like my mind was blank and I could not remember anything I had revised!

This response is not usually a lack of knowledge. It is often the result of the nervous system being overwhelmed by pressure.

What High Performers Do Differently

If you watch elite athletes closely, you will notice something interesting.

Before a key moment — a tennis serve, a penalty kick, a golf putt — they often pause.

They breathe. They follow a routine.

These routines are not superstition. They are ways of regulating the nervous system so the athlete can access the skills they have already developed. Rafael Nadal was famous for his routine before every point he played.

Whether I'm working with athletes, executives, actors or students, my approach is the same as the body's response is the same. By bringing the nervous system back into balance, we are able to think more clearly before performing.

Here are a couple of simple exercises to try that can help reduce a feeling of panic or nervousness.

1. Breathing to Reset the Body

Slow breathing can quickly calm the body's stress response.

A simple technique is to inhale slowly through the nose and exhale slightly longer through the mouth. Imagine you are blowing slowly out through a small straw. Within a minute or two, the heart rate begins to slow and mental clarity improves.

This is something students can easily use before opening an exam paper.

2. Releasing Physical Tension

Pressure often shows up physically in the shoulders, neck and jaw.

Gentle movements — such as raising and dropping the shoulders or shaking out the arms —can release tension and send calming signals back to the brain.

Athletes often do this instinctively before performing.

Teaching Young People How to Handle Pressure

Pressure will always be part of life.

Students will face it in exams, interviews, performances and presentations. The goal is not to eliminate pressure completely — in fact, a certain level of pressure can enhance performance.

The real skill is learning how to respond to pressure well.

By teaching young people simple techniques to calm their minds and regulate their bodies, we can help them access the knowledge and abilities they already possess.

Whether on a rugby field, a stage or in an exam hall, the principle is the same.

Performance under pressure is rarely about talent alone. It is about learning how to stay calm in the moment when it matters most.