"Why do the smartest students often do poorly on standardized tests?"
"Why did you tank that interview or miss that golf swing when you should have had it in the bag?"
"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 academics, in your career, in sports--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. It's not fun to think about, 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 astonishing 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 brain science, with surprising insights on every page, Beilock explains the inescapable links between body and mind; reveals the surprising similarities among the ways performers, students, athletes, and business people choke; and shows how to succeed brilliantly when it matters most.
In lively prose and accessibly rendered science, Beilock examines how attention and working memory guide human performance, how experience and practice and brain development interact to create our abilities, and how stress affects all these factors. She sheds new light on counterintuitive realities, like why the highest performing people are most susceptible to choking under pressure, why we may learn foreign languages best when we're not paying attention, why early childhood athletic training can backfire, and how our emotions can make us both smarter and dumber. All these fascinating findings about academic, athletic, and creative intelligence come together in Beilock's new ideas about performance under pressure--and her secrets to never choking again. Whether you're at the Olympics, in the boardroom, or taking the SAT, Beilock's clear, prescriptive guidance shows how to remain cool under pressure--the key to performing well when everything's on the line.

"Why do the smartest students often do poorly on standardized tests?Why did you tank that interview or miss that golf swing when you should have had it in the bag?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 academics, in your career, in sports--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. It's not fun to think about, 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 astonishing 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 brain science, with surprising insights on every page, Beilock explains the inescapable links between body and mind; reveals the surprising similarities among the ways performers, students, athletes, and business people choke; and shows how to succeed brilliantly when it matters most. In lively prose and accessibly rendered science, Beilock examines how attention and working memory guide human performance, how experience and practice and brain development interact to create our abilities, and how stress affects all these factors. She sheds new light on counter-intuitive realities, like why the highest performing people are most susceptible to choking under pressure, why we may learn foreign languages best when we're not paying attention, why early childhood athletic training can backfire, and how our emotions can make us both smarter and dumber. All these fascinating findings about academic, athletic, and creative intelligence come together in Beilock's new ideas about performance under pressure--and her secrets to never choking again. Whether you're at the Olympics, in the boardroom, or taking the SAT, Beilock's clear, prescriptive guidance shows how to remain cool under pressure--the key to performing well when everything's on the line.

How does pacing around the room enhance creativity? Why does walking in nature boost concentration skills? Do Botox users really experience less depression? What causes fitter children to score higher in exams? The answers to these questions can all be found in How the Body Knows Its Mind, as psychologist Sian Beilock reveals extraordinary ways you can use your body to improve your mind and your performance in all areas of life. If you've ever gestured wildly with your hands in order to coax a word from your memory, or if you've sat up straighter in a meeting to feel more confident and alert, then you already know some of the ways the body can make an impact on the mind. But what if that's just the tip of the iceberg? Recent research shows that the brain is not the master control centre we had always assumed, and the extent to which the body affects the brain is greater than we'd ever imagined. The way we move affects our thoughts, our decisions and our preferences, and children absorb more when they use their bodies as a learning tool. This new science of 'embodied cognition' illuminates the power of our bodies and our physical surroundings to shape how we think, feel and behave. From the tricks used by advertisers, to how to conquer fears of public speaking, Beilock explains a wealth of fascinating interconnections between mind and body and shows how mastering them can make you happier, safer and more successful.