The raw definition of privilege is “having special rights, advantages, or immunities.” In other words, having the rare opportunity to do something that can bring a joyful fulfilment that others may not get.
To many, privilege can be exciting, create opportunities and hold high-spirits, but when the interconnection of privilege and pressure come into play it can be overwhelming. There can be numerous negative impacts of pressure. When pressure becomes excessive, many may surrender to anxiety and dissatisfaction.
Being under pressure, many may find themselves struggling to concentrate and make simple decisions, becoming easily distracted and losing confidence.
In the athletic environment, pressure can disturb many athlete’s performance. Physically, it can increase adrenaline, heart rate and breathing. Mentally, many can undergo positive or negative thoughts about the match before it happens. Emotionally, anticipation, feelings of fear and anxiety can rapidly form. In the US Open, a highly anticipated sporting event, players are greeted by the iconic quote, “Pressure is a Privilege” by the highly decorated tennis star, Billie Jean King, while walking out to their match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Many competitors stated that this iconic quote prepares them to compete and reminds them “that they earned to right to play under the stresses of Grand Slam tennis at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.”
“Under Pressure” , the documentary about the US Women’s National Team shows the road to the World Cup, the ultimate loss at the hands of Sweden, and how the USWNT managed to block out noise as they started to rebuild and recover. I am a huge fan of soccer, and especially like to keep up with the USWNT. I expected them to win the World Cup, putting pressure on them to succeed. Even though what I feel will not even reach the team, I can say that the added pressure of a thousand other people who were also anticipating them to win the World Cup created an immense demand. They had the pressure from America on their back.
Anyone can be faced with pressure. Many times we overthink the word pressure and what it means. In a longer more specific definition, pressure is a sense of stressful urgency caused by having too many demands on one’s time or resources. But pressure can really be described with a simpler effect, to put someone or something in a difficult situation. So, pressure can be anything. Billie King explains that “Usually, if you have tremendous pressure, it’s because an opportunity comes along.”
Speaking from personal experience, pressure is exhausting but the opportunities I receive out of it are thrilling. For Sutton Girls Soccer we have had the opportunity to win three consecutive State Championship Titles. Although the result is exhilarating, the determination, work and overall pressure on each and every one of my teammates is burdensome. If we win, everyone ‘knew it and had no doubt’ but, if we lose, then ‘we played bad and did all that work for nothing’. Pressure does not always have to be this big of an achievement; it can be the pressure of taking your math quiz or talking in front of a crowd.
All things come with pressure. If we feel a profound sense of pressure within, it doesn’t always mean we are overthinking somethings or being anxious about it–it implies that we have a yawning desire to meet or exceed our own expectations.
Adhering to pressure can create a whole new perspective on demanding times. Rather than seeing pressure and worrying about living up to your own or other people’s expectations, challenge yourself–make it the opportunity to carry on and achieve the goals that we create for ourselves.
Don’t run from pressure–face it, embrace it, and do all that you can to fully meet it.
