Pressure reveals the value of a mind that does not immediately sprint.

Under pressure, the instinct is to move immediately, and moving immediately means acting on your first read of the situation. First reads under stress are often wrong. The mind that waits a moment before sprinting gets a second look at what is actually happening, which is frequently the difference between a good response and an expensive one.

Build in a deliberate pause when things become urgent, even ten seconds. Ask what is actually happening rather than what to do. Almost nothing genuinely requires action within the first few seconds, though nearly everything feels like it does.