Jake Burhans explains why you forget what you know under pressure: stress shuts down your prefrontal cortex. Slow your breath and drop your shoulders to calm your nervous system and think clearly again. The problem isn't what to do—it's what state you're in.
Ever notice that when pressure hits, you stop doing the things you know work? That's not a discipline problem. Under stress, your nervous system takes over and prioritizes speed and urgency over clarity. The prefrontal cortex in your brain responsible for higher-order thinking, nuance, problem-solving literally goes offline. So here's the fix. Don't force things cognitively. You need to regulate your nervous system back into a creative regulated state so you can turn on that part of your brain and solve the problem. Slow your breath, drop your shoulders, then act. The question becomes not what should I do, but what state am I in? And if you can respond from a regulated state, you know you'll be making the best decision.
