How Psychology And Leadership Drive Clutch Performance

With the World Series in full swing, the peak performance of elite athletes on the biggest stage warrants discussion. A large-scale sporting event, such as the World Series, requires athletes to perform under pressure and deliver in clutch situations. Regardless of the sport, clutch performances make the difference between winning and losing. To facilitate winning outcomes, sport leaders must create conditions that enable athletes to perform at their best.

The Mental Game: Preparing to Perform When It Counts

In the book The Art of War, ancient Chinese military strategist and philosopher Sun Tzu mentioned the phrase, “Every battle is won before it’s fought.” Successful professional coaches, such as former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, often reference this quote to emphasize the importance of preparation prior to competition. In his tenure with the Patriots, Belichick’s teams consistently performed well under pressure during the postseason. This was largely due to the team’s meticulous attention to detail in practice. Former Patriots special teams ace Matthew Slater stated in a 2020 Patriots.com interview, “Practice execution becomes game reality. Who you are in practice and the things that you do daily are ultimately who you’re going to be on Sunday.”

As a testament to this philosophical approach, former quarterback Tom Brady found his Patriots trailing 28-3 with about two minutes remaining in the third quarter of Super Bowl LI in 2017. He then orchestrated the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history. In a recent interview on the Impaulsive Podcast, Brady attributed his ability to execute under pressure to preparation and always fighting from behind throughout his football career. He stated, “When you are down 28-3, you take advantage of any opportunity you get.” He also credited his former sports psychologist, Greg Harden, with being impactful and reframing his competitive mindset, encouraging Brady to view losing as a chance to make a major comeback.

Alongside an individual’s leadership approach, sports psychology plays a crucial role in understanding and improving performance under pressure. Mental skills training techniques, such as visualization, positive self-talk, and mindfulness, are often utilized by athletes to enhance concentration and gain a competitive edge. These techniques can be highly effective, helping athletes overcome mental hurdles and reach optimal performance levels, thereby playing an integral role in their preparation. Elite performers, like Tom Brady, earn their reputations by proving themselves in the clutch.

This year’s World Series has featured multiple clutch performances, including two memorable ones by starting pitchers. In Game 2, Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered an impressive complete game victory. Yamamoto already faces enormous pressure to live up to his contract, having signed the richest deal for a pitcher in MLB history in 2023, according to the Wall Street Journal.

In Game 5, Blue Jays rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage also performed admirably under pressure, striking out 12 batters over seven innings in a masterful road outing to put his team up 3-2 in the series. When discussing his performance on MLB Tonight, Yesavage talked about how much fun he had on the mound. He was sharp during warmups and added, “Everything felt on and connected.”

During those stellar performances, Yesavage and Yamamoto appeared to experience states of intense focus and complete immersion that defy conventional explanation. The next section will delve further into the mental side of sport, exploring how athletes can achieve peak performance under the right conditions.

In the Flow State: Inside an Athlete’s Frame of Mind

Some of the greatest athletes are fully dedicated to their craft and meticulously study their opponents. However, the role of sport psychology in clutch performances is not always easily explained. One of its most fascinating aspects lies in attempting to understand the mental states that lead to optimal performance—particularly the concept of “flow,” or what sports enthusiasts often call “being in the zone.”

Hungarian-American psychologist and educator Mihály Csíkszentmihályi first introduced “flow” and related the concept to different fields. In his 1990 book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Csíkszentmihályi described flow as “being completely involved in an activity for its own sake.” This mental state encompasses intense focus, intrinsic motivation, and a sense of happiness.

Csikszentmihalyi also co-authored a book with Susan Jackson in 1999 titled Flow in Sports, and outlined nine dimensions that are necessary in order for an athlete or performer to experience flow. These signify optimal alignment between thoughts and actions.

1. Challenge-skills balance: The challenge must be attainable and not too easy, while the skills must be present. This is the most important dimension of flow.
2. Action-awareness merging: Complete synergy between awareness of situation and necessary actions. This entails full absorption in the task at hand.
3. Clear goals: Clear purpose and understanding of the next actions that need to be taken.
4. Unambiguous feedback: Obvious and immediate feedback that allows the performer to make adjustments.
5. Concentration on the task at hand: Full concentration on each task and their relevance. Attention is not deterred by distractions.
6. Sense of control: Absolute personal control over actions. The feeling of being able to do whatever desired.
7. Loss of self-consciousness: Ego is not at the forefront. Any immediate needs pertaining to the body or cosmetics diminish due to level of involvement. Not concerned about what others think outside circle.
8. Transformation of time: Distorted sense of time. It either flies or flows down because of engagement in activity.
9. Autotelic experience: Activity is intrinsically rewarding and performer is enjoying the process.

By and large, flow has to do with a positive state of mind. Therefore, negative environments would likely reduce the ability for athletes to experience flow. A recent study of international soccer players suggested that effective leadership provided by coaches and team captains is associated with better mental health and greater well-being in athletes.

Studies on flow have not been limited to professional sports. In a qualitative study on NCAA Division I athletes discussing their experience of flow, 94 percent of participants reported flow dimensions present during competition, implying that the tasks felt effortless in those moments. ​

One of the most memorable performances in college athletics occurred during the 1992 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, when former Duke forward Christian Laettner delivered nearly flawless offensive game against Kentucky in the East Regional Final, propelling his team to the Final Four. He went 10 for 10 from the field, scored 31 points, and made one of the most iconic game winning shots in college basketball history. During a 2024 interview on The Rich Eisen Show, Laettner recalled how composed and positive his head coach, Mike Krzyzewski, was on the bench before the final play. Laettner also expressed he was fully prepared for the moment and confident he would make the shot if he caught the ball on the inbounds pass from Grant Hill.

Continuing with basketball, Michael Jordan is the all-time NBA leader in buzzer beater shots, with nine. He appeared to be “in the zone” during Game 1 of the 1992 NBA Finals against the Portland Trailblazers, making six three-pointers and scoring 35 points in the first half. This is famously known as the “shrug game.” In a 2013 NBA.com interview with Ahmad Rashad, Jordan was asked if fear of failure motivated him. He responded, “I never feared about my skills because I put in the work. Work ethic eliminates fear.” This underscores the importance of preparation and confidence in clutch performance.

Other epic sports moments such as Brandi Chastain’s decisive penalty kick in the 1999 Women’s World Cup, Derek Jeter’s .409 batting average in the 2000 World Series, and Andrei Vasilevskiy’s dominant goaltending during the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup runs all illustrate the power of performing under pressure.

Where Mindset Meets Leadership

As discussed earlier, psychological factors play a crucial role in performance and in motivating athletes to reach their full potential. From a coach’s steady influence to an athlete’s ability to block out distractions, legacies are defined by the capacity to produce results under adversity. In preparation for competition, leaders should focus on balancing skills with challenges, establishing clear goals, creating a supportive environment, promoting focus and mindfulness, encouraging trust among teammates, and providing constructive feedback. Ultimately, clutch performance combines strong leadership with developing a mindset centered on poise, joy, and desire.