Pressure & Personal Philosophy: Staying Anchored When It Matters Most

What does pressure mean to you?

For me, it means feeling clouded - hypersensitive to my surroundings, easily overwhelmed, and at times, taking things too personally. Under pressure, I can become insular. I withdraw. In a professional context, I find myself questioning my path or disconnecting from the task at hand. It’s a mental fog, and in that fog, it’s easy to forget who you are and what you stand for.

That’s why exploring how we respond to pressure matters. Pressure is inevitable. And for many of us, our default reactions aren’t always in our best interest. But what if we saw pressure not just as a threat, but as a test of alignment - an invitation to come back to what grounds us?

At ACE, we believe one of the most powerful ways to meet pressure is with clarity - clarity about your personal philosophy. When you know what you stand for and have the skills to live it, pressure becomes less of a disruption and more of a challenge you’re equipped to rise to (Baumeister et al., 2003).

Living Your Personal Philosophy

My personal philosophy is simple: Live. Lead. Love. Laugh.

It’s evolved over time through reflection, challenge, transition, and growth. ACE itself was born out of a desire to align with this philosophy every day - not just on the easy ones. It’s been shaped by the people I’ve met, the environments I’ve worked in, and the questions I’ve asked myself about the kind of person and professional I have been and want to be.

• Reviewing the past.

• Assessing the current

• Considering the future

That’s the thing about personal philosophies: they aren’t static mission statements. They’re lived values. They’re fluid. And under pressure, they get tested.

When Pressure Hits

Pressure comes in many forms - performance demands, identity questions, emotional responsibility. One pressure point for me is wondering whether I’m adding enough value. Especially when working with people, I feel a strong internal pull to leave them better than I found them. It doesn’t always happen, and that’s something I continue to work on — especially in relationships that matter most. At times, those people get the brunt of it most.

Professionally, a recent high-pressure period came while working with Souths during the 2024 season. Results weren’t falling our way. Scrutiny intensified - not just on players, but across the coaching and performance team. My mind was constantly ticking: How can we better integrate psychological skills? How do we support the group through this? There was no off-switch.

Physically, mentally, and emotionally, I felt it. I catastrophised. I rode the rollercoaster with them. I couldn’t control the direct outcomes on the field. But I could control how to show up.

Putting Philosophy into Practice

In that moment, my personal philosophy; Live, Lead, Love, Laugh - became more than words. Some days, I could only hold onto one of them. On good days, I stayed connected to what I love - the work, the purpose, the people. I tried to lead authentically. I found small moments to laugh and kept trying to bring lightness where I could.

Other days, I missed the mark. I strayed from my values. And it didn’t sit well. That’s the truth about pressure - it doesn’t just reveal character, it reveals alignment. When we drift from our philosophy, we feel it. And so do others.

But even imperfect application helped. My philosophy gave me a compass when things felt uncertain. It didn’t make the pressure disappear - but it helped me move through it with a little more clarity, a little less fear.

Reflection & Realignment

What did I learn? That our philosophies aren’t just about the big moments - they’re about the daily ones. The micro-decisions. The way we show up for ourselves and others. I realised I needed to design my days with intention - to make space for what fuels me so I could meet the demands without losing myself. In moments I wasn’t Ian.

Next time, I’d keep my philosophy more visible. I’d reflect more often. I’d listen to others more. I’d be more deliberate about doing the small things that help me live it — not just talk about it. 

And yes, my philosophy is still evolving. Life changes. Roles shift. Environments change. As Seligman (2011) notes in his work on positive psychology, flourishing requires adaptability and connection to meaning. For me, pressure can either reinforce or redefine your personal philosophy - but only if you know what it is in the first place.

Helping Others Anchor Themselves

Through ACE, I help others do this work too. It starts by creating space. Asking the questions - the tricky ones, in a way that feels safe, creative, and aligned. It doesn’t happen overnight. But when people get clear on their philosophy, everything shifts.

I’ve noticed a big difference in how people handle pressure when they have a clear sense of self. They make more intentional choices. They bounce back quicker. They regulate better. Their mindset isn’t just reactive to the environment - it’s grounded in something deeper.

And when pressure’s high? I offer them a simple practice:

Think of someone you deeply respect. What would they say to you right now? What would they remind you of? There’s usually a clue to your philosophy in that answer.

Closing Thoughts

Here’s the insight I keep coming back to:
Use it or lose it.
Your personal philosophy is a tool - but you have to choose to use it. You have a cognitive choice every day: to live in alignment or to drift.

And here’s the question I’m still exploring:

When teams are under pressure, and every individual has a different personal philosophy, how do we create unity without losing individuality?

That’s the beautiful tension. And it’s where the real work begins.

References

Baumeister, R. F., Vohs, K. D., & Tice, D. M. (2003). The strength model of self-control. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 16(6), 351-355.

Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Free Press.