How to perform under pressure

3 tips from a dude who coaches pro athletes

Earlier this year, during a nationally televised NFL playoff game, something unexpected happened: A.J. Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles was captured on camera, sitting on the sidelines, reading a book called Inner Excellence.

The timing couldn’t have been better for the dude who wrote that book, Jim Murphy. His performance coaching business had stalled and cash was running low. A.J. Brown changed all that. Book sales soared. New clients came flooding in.

So what does this guy know about how to perform with grace and peace under massive pressure? (A question of paramount importance not only to athletes but for all of us.)

One key is how you relate to fear.

Here are three of Jim’s tips for managing what can be a performance-killer:

• Be willing to be afraid. Courage isn’t the absence of fear — it’s the willingness to feel it and take action anyway. Jim quotes Tom Cruise, who’s famous for doing his own stunts: “I’m afraid, but I’m not afraid to be afraid.” That’s the difference. The next time fear rises up, instead of resisting it, ask: Am I willing to feel this? That simple willingness opens up possibilities — and starts to dissolve the fear itself.

• Stop identifying with the fear. The words you use shape how deeply fear owns you. Calling it my fear or my anxiety fuses your identity with the feeling. Instead, try “There’s anxiety present,” or “Fear is moving through me.” This small linguistic shift helps you see fear as temporary, not personal, and breaks the cycle of self-focus that feeds it.

• “Expect Nothing.” My personal favorite of Jim’s tools. Before stepping into a high-stakes moment — a presentation, performance, or tough conversation — tell yourself: I expect nothing. It doesn’t mean you don’t care about the result; it means letting go of the need for things to unfold a certain way. Most everyday fear — the kind that shows up before a talk or a big decision — comes from that need: to succeed, to be liked, to stay comfortable. As Jim says, “I have no needs. I don’t expect the person, the crowd, or the weather to act a certain way.” When you let go of your attachment to a specific outcome, you can meet the moment with steadiness and trust that whatever comes, you can handle it.

For more on how to perform under pressure with confidence, listen to today’s episode of 10% Happier with Jim Murphy.

Paid subscribers also get a companion meditation from our October Teacher of the Month, Sebene Selassie. It’s called “How to Rewire Your Inner Critic” and is designed to help you transform your inner dialogue from critic to champion. You can find the rest of Sebene’s meditations—and those from previous Teachers of the Month—on the Meditations page at DanHarris.com.

As a reminder, Sebene, Jeff Warren, Ofosu Jones-Quartey, and I are doing another version of our annual Meditation Party retreat this weekend (Oct. 24-26). It’s at the Omega Institute in upstate NY. Think four big sessions of meditation, conversation, and Q&A—with plenty of free time to hike the 240-acre campus, play some pickleball, shoot hoops, or just relax by the lake (yes, they’ve got kayaks). You can also drop into yoga or tai chi classes, and on Saturday night there’s even a dance party (totally optional, I promise). I hope you’ll join us. More info here.

Tomorrow, Oct. 23, I’ll be speaking at United Lutheran Seminary in Gettysburg, PA, about how my anxiety and on-air panic attack led me down the path of mindfulness and meditation. If you’re nearby come say hi! You can learn more here.

Paid subscribers get the 10% Happier podcast ad-free, as well as:

• A cheatsheet for each episode — with key takeaways, time-coded highlights, and a transcript

• The ability to comment on posts and participate in subscriber chats

• Access to our weekly live video sessions, in which I and/or our meditation Teacher of the Month guide a meditation and take questions

• Tailor-made meditations every Monday and Wednesday, led by our meditation Teacher of the Month and designed to pair with the podcast episodes

Join the party.

Episode Cheatsheet

The big takeaway

Performance coach Jim Murphy dives into the counterintuitive secrets of thriving under pressure—not just surviving with grit, but performing with both peace and confidence. Drawing from his own experience in pro sports and coaching elite athletes, Murphy explores how transforming our inner lives and reframing our self-talk can help us respond (not react) to stress, maximize our potential, and find more meaning in everyday challenges.

Performance under pressure: Jim Murphy on inner excellence

Key takeaways:

• Your story shapes your state: The ways we label and talk about our past (and present) experiences directly impact our ability to show up calm and confident in high-stakes moments.

• Let go to move forward: True peak performance isn’t about clinging to results—it’s about non-attachment, learning, and being present for the process, not just the outcome.

• The heart of the matter: Transforming your heart (or spirit/will) is central to inner excellence; a focus beyond ego and toward connection, service, and growth gives you the best shot at performing well when it matters most.

• Actionable faith (even for skeptics): Murphy’s tools and perspectives, while rooted in his Christian faith, are accessible regardless of your beliefs. He shows that contemplative wisdom—Buddhist, Christian, or otherwise—is fundamentally practical.

6 practical tips for inner excellence (peak performance under pressure):