Overcoming the nerves in a high-stakes moment

AI generated picture of a woman bobsledder at the starting line

If you saw her standing there, you would have thought she was the picture of composure. But inside? She was a bundle of nerves, a swarm of butterflies that felt completely out of control.

She took a deep breath. She’d spent hours visualizing this—creating a mental highlight reel of success until it felt more real than the ice under her feet. Even the heavy worries about the strife in her home country started to fade into the background. She dug her spikes in, gave the sled a massive push, and took off.

We’ve all been at that starting line.

Maybe for you, it isn’t a bobsled track; it’s a high-stakes meeting or an interview for a dream job. But lately, even "business as usual" has started to feel like a high-stakes event. When the world feels heavy, we either spiral into anxiety—rehearsing failure instead of success—or we double down on busy work just to avoid facing the pressure.

The thing about those Olympic athletes, though, is that they don't actually do it alone.

Even in the heat of competition, you see them cheering each other on across borders and sports. They’re bonded by the hours of training, the injuries, and the sacrifices. That community is what helps them carry the weight when the world is in turmoil.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how we do that for ourselves. When the stakes are high and our minds start spinning, we need that same combination: a mental rehearsal of success and a community that creates a safe place to land.

I’m curious—what was a recent "starting line" moment for you? Did you find yourself rehearsing the success or the failure? And who are the people in your life who make the load feel a little lighter?