One of the most humiliating things
一个人能做出最丢脸的事情，
that you can say about someone is 'they choked.'
其中之一就是「失常」。
And boy, do I know that feeling.
哇，这感觉我可是很懂的。
Growing up, I was an avid athlete.
成长过程中，我是很热血的运动员。
My main sport was soccer, and I was a goalkeeper,
我主要玩的运动是足球， 且我是守门员，
which is both the best and the worst position on the field.
那是球场上最好也最糟的位置。
You see, when you’re a goalie, you get this special uniform,
如果你是守门员， 你会有特别的制服，
you get all the glory for a great shot saved,
若你挡下了很棒的射门， 荣耀通通归你，
but you also get the grief when you land a shot in the goal.
但如果你让球进了门， 悲伤也是归你。
When you’re a goalie,
如果你是守门员， 目光都集中在你身上，
all eyes are on you,
目光会带来压力。
and with that comes the pressure.
我非常清楚记得高中时的一场比赛。
I distinctly remember one game in high school.
我隶属於加州队，
I was playing for the California state team
这是奥运发展计画的一部分。
which is part of the Olympic Development Program.
那场比赛我表现很好……
I was having a great game ...
直到我发现
until I realized that the national coach was standing right behind me.
国家教练就站在我后面。
That’s when everything changed.
那时一切都改变了。
In a matter of seconds,
才几秒鐘的时间，
I went from playing at the top to the bottom of my ability.
我就从把能力发挥到最好 变成发挥到最差。
Just knowing that I was being evaluated changed my performance
光是知道有人在评估我， 就改变了我的表现，
and forever how I thought about the mental aspect of how we perform.
以及永远改变了 我如何看待表现的心理层面。
All of a sudden the ball seemed to go in slow motion,
突然间，球似乎变成了慢动作，
and I was fixated on my every move.
我注视著我的每一个动作。
The next shot that came I bobbled,
下一次射门时，我没挡下来，
but thankfully it didn’t land in the goal.
但谢天谢地，它没有进门。
The shot after that,
再下一次射门，
I wasn’t so lucky:
我就没那麼幸运了：
I tipped it right into the net.
我轻触到球，直接送它进门。
My team lost;
我的球队输了；
the national coach walked away.
国家教练也走了。
I choked under the pressure of those evaluative eyes on me.
在评鑑我的目光造成的 压力下，我失常了。
Just about everyone does it from time to time --
几乎每个人偶尔都会 发生这种状况——
there are so many opportunities,
有好多机会，
whether it’s taking a test,
不论是考试、
giving a talk,
演讲、
pitching to a client
向客户提案，
or that special form of torture I like to call the job interview.
或是折磨的一种特殊形式， 我称之為工作面试。
(Laughter)
（笑声）
But the question is why.
但，问题是，為什麼会这样？
Why do we sometimes fail to perform up to our potential under pressure?
為什麼在压力下，我们有时 就无法把潜力发挥出来？
It’s especially bewildering in the case of athletes
在运动员的情况中， 这个问题特别让人困惑，
who spend so much time physically honing their craft.
因為他们花了那麼多时间 在磨练他们的身体技艺。
But what about their minds?
但他们的心灵呢？
Not as much.
没那麼多磨练。
This is true off the playing field as well.
在球场以外的地方亦是如此。
Whether we’re taking a test of giving a talk,
不论是考试或是演讲，
it’s easy to feel like we’re ready --
很容易就觉得我们準备好了——
at the top of our game --
觉得自己最行——
and then perform at our worst when it matters most.
接著却在最关键的时刻 表现得一塌糊涂。
It turns out that rarely do we practice
结果是因為我们练习的时候
under the types of conditions we’re actually going to perform under,
很少会有和实际要表现时 同样的条件或环境，
and as a result,
结果就是，
when all eyes are on us,
当所有人都看著我们时，
we sometimes flub our performance.
我们有时就会搞砸。
Of course, the question is, why is this the case?
当然，问题是，為什麼会这样？
And my experience on the playing field --
我在球场上的经验
and in other important facets of my life --
和我人生中其他重要面向的经验
really pushed me into the field of cognitive science.
让我进入了认知科学的领域。
I wanted to know how we could reach our limitless potential.
我想要知道我们要如何 达到自己无限的潜能。
I wanted to understand how we could use our knowledge
我想要了解我们要如何运用我们
of the mind and the brain
心灵和大脑的知识，
to come up with psychological tools that would help us perform at our best.
来创造出一些心理工具， 协助我们发挥最佳表现。
So why does it happen?
為什麼会失常？
Why do we sometimes fail to perform up to what we’re capable of
為什麼当压力压上来时， 我们有时就无法把原本
when the pressure is on?
应该能达成的表现做出来？
It may not be so surprising to hear that in stressful situations, we worry.
我们会在压力大的情境中担心， 这点应该不让人意外。
We worry about the situation,
我们会担心那个情境，
the consequences,
担心后果，
what others will think of us.
担心别人怎麼看待我们。
But what is surprising is that we often get in our own way
但让人意外的是， 正是因為我们的担心
precisely because our worries prompt us to concentrate too much.
会过度暗示我们要专心， 反而造成了阻碍。
That’s right --
没错，
we pay too much attention to what we’re doing.
我们对当下做的事过度注意。
When we’re concerned about performing our best,
当我们念念不忘要做出最佳表现时
we often try and control aspects of what we’re doing
就往往尝试去控制我们正在做的事，
that are best left on autopilot,
原本最好是留在意识之外
outside conscious awareness,
任其自由发展，
and as a result,
结果就是
we mess up.
搞砸了。
Think about a situation where you’re shuffling down the stairs.
想想看一个情境， 你正在快速下楼梯。
What would happen if I asked you
如果我请你在下楼梯时
to think about what you’re doing with your knee
想著你如何使用你的膝盖，
while you’re doing that?
会发生什麼事？
There’s a good chance you’d fall on your face.
很有可能你会跌个狗吃屎。
We as humans only have the ability to pay attention to so much at once,
我们人类同时 能使用的注意力有限，
which is why, by the way,
顺便一提，这就是為什麼
it’s not a good idea to drive and talk on the cell phone.
开车时最好不要讲电话。
And under pressure,
在压力之下，
when we’re concerned about performing at our best,
当我们很在意要做出最佳表现时，
we can try and control aspects of what we’re doing
我们可能会试图去控制 我们正在做的事，
that should be left outside conscious control.
而那些应该不要由意识来控制。
The end result is that we mess up.
最后的结果就是，我们会搞砸。
My research team and I have studied this phenomenon of overattention,
我和我的研究团队一直在研究 这个注意力过度的现象，
and we call it paralysis by analysis.
我们称之為「分析造成的瘫痪」。
In one study, we asked college soccer players to dribble a soccer ball
在一项研究中，我们请 大学的足球队员盘球，
and to pay attention to an aspect of their performance
同时把注意力放在 他们表现的一个面向上，
that they would not otherwise attend to.
那个面向是他们本来不注意的。
We asked them to pay attention
我们请他们去注意
to what side of the foot was contacting the ball.
脚的哪一面接触到球。
We showed that performance was slower and more error-prone
我们发现，当我们把他们的注意力
when we drew their attention to the step-by-step details
转移到当下行為的细节上时，
of what they were doing.
他们的表现会变缓慢且易出错。
When the pressure is on,
当有压力时，
we’re often concerned with performing at our best,
我们会很在意要做出最佳表现，
and as a result we try and control what we’re doing
结果就是我们试图 控制我们在做的事，
to force the best performance.
来强迫做出最佳表现。
The end result is that we actually screw up.
最后的结果就是就是 我们真的会搞砸。
In basketball,
在篮球上，
the term 'unconscious' is used to describe a shooter who can’t miss.
会用「无意识」来形容神射手。
And San Antonio Spurs star Tim Duncan has said,
圣安东尼马刺队的球星 提姆邓肯说过：
When you have to stop and think, that’s when you mess up.
「要停下来想的时候 就是你搞砸的时候。」
In dance, the great choreographer, George Balanchine,
在舞蹈上，伟大的 编舞家乔治巴兰奇
used to urge his dancers,
以前会要求他的舞者：
Don’t think, just do.
「别思考，只管去做。」
When the pressure’s on,
当有压力时，
when we want to put our best foot forward,
当我们想要表现得最好时，
somewhat ironically,
很讽刺的，
we often try and control what we’re doing in a way that leads to worse performance.
我们控制当下行為的方式反而导致了最糟的表现。
So what do we do?
所以，我们要怎麼做？
Knowing that we have this overactive attention,
已经知道我们的注意力过度时，
how do we ensure that we perform at our best?
我们要如何确保 自己能做出最佳表现？
A lot of it comes down to the prefrontal cortex,
有很大一部分和前额叶皮质有关，
that front part of our brain that sits over our eyes
它位在我们大脑的 前侧，眼睛上方，
and usually helps us focus in positive ways.
通常是以正面的方式 在协助我们专注。
It often gets hooked on the wrong things.
它常常会被不对的事物勾引住。
So how do we unhook it?
我们要如何把它拉回来？
Something as simple as singing a song,
很简单，比如唱一首歌，
or paying attention to one’s pinky toe,
或是把注意力放在小趾头上，
as pro golfer Jack Nicklaus was rumored to do,
据说职业高尔夫选手 杰克尼克劳斯就用这一招，
can help us take our mind off those pesky details.
这些方式能协助我们 把心思从恼人的细节转移开。
It’s also true that practicing under conditions
还有一点也是确定的， 若能让练习时的条件
that we’re going to perform under --
符合实做时的条件——
closing the gap between training and competition
把训练和竞争之间的差距缩小，
can help us get used to that feeling of all eyes on us.
能协助我们习惯被眾人瞩目的感觉。
This is true off the playing field as well.
在球场以外的地方也一样。
Whether it’s getting ready for an exam
不论是準备考试，
or preparing for a big talk --
或是準备一场重要演说——
one that might have a little pressure associated with it --
可能和压力有点关係的演说——
(Laughter)
（笑声）
getting used to the types of situations you’re going to perform under
习惯将来要实做时的情境
really matters.
真的很重要。
When you’re taking a test, close the book,
若你要考试，把书闔上，
practice retrieving the answer from memory under timed situations,
练习在有时间限制的情况下 把答案从记忆中找出来，
and when you’re giving a talk,
若你要演说，
practice in front of others.
在其他人面前练习。
And if you can’t find anyone who will listen,
如果你无法找到愿意听的人，
practice in front of a video camera or even a mirror.
在摄影机甚至镜子前面练习。
The ability to get used to what it will feel like can make the difference
习惯实做感觉的能力能造成不同，
in whether we choke or thrive.
表现失常或是表现出色的不同。
We’ve also figured out some ways to get rid of those pesky worries
我们也想出一些能够摆脱那些 恼人的担忧和自我怀疑的方法，
and self-doubts that tend to creep up in the stressful situations.
它们通常不知不觉地出现在 有压力的情况下。
Researchers have shown that simply jotting down your thoughts and worries
研究者发现， 在从事有压力的活动之前
before a stressful event
只要草草写下你的想法和担心，
can help to download them from mind --
就能够协助你把它们 从脑袋中下载下来，
make them less likely to pop up in the moment.
减低它们在重要时刻跳出来的机率。
It’s kind of like when you wake up in the middle of the night
这就有点像是当你半夜醒来时，
and you’re really worried about what you have to do the next day,
真的很担心明天要做的事，
you’re trying to think about everything you have to accomplish,
你试著去想必须要完成的所有事项，
and you write it down and then you can go back to sleep.
把它们写下来，就回去睡觉。
Journaling, or getting those thoughts down on paper,
写日记，或是把那些想法写在纸上，
makes it less likely they’ll pop up and distract you in the moment.
减低它们在重要时刻跳出来 让你分心的机率。
The end result is that you can perform your best when it matters most.
最后的结果是 在关键时刻你能表现得最好。
So up until now,
到目前為止，
I’ve talked about what happens when we put limits on ourselves
我已经谈了当我们把限制 加在自己身上时会发生什麼事，
and some tips we can use to help perform up to our potential.
以及可以用来协助我们 发挥潜能的一些小密诀。
But it’s important to remember
但，很重要的是要记住，
that it’s not just our own individual being
不只有我们自己本身
that can put limits and that can perform poorly;
会加上限制且会表现不佳；
our environment has an effect on whether we choke or thrive.
我们的环境也能影响我们 会表现失常或表现出色。
Our parents, our teachers, our coaches, our bosses all influence
我们的父母、老师、教练、老闆
whether or not we can put our best foot forward when it matters most.
都会影响我们是否能在关键时刻 做出最佳表现。
Take math as an example.
以数学為例。
That’s right, I said it:
没错，你们没听错：
math.
数学。
Lots of people profess to choke or are anxious about doing math,
许多人声称在做数学时 会失常或是焦虑，
whether it’s taking a test or even calculating the tip on a dinner bill
不论是考试，或甚至是 旁边有聪明的朋友在看著
as our smart friends look on.
你计算晚餐帐单上的小费，
And it’s quite socially acceptable
大家都还蛮习惯
to talk about choking or performing poorly in math.
可以把在数学上的失常 或不佳表现拿出来谈。
You don’t hear highly educated people walking around talking about the fact
你不会听到教育程度高的人到处谈论
or bragging about the fact that they’re not good readers,
或是夸口说自己的阅读能力差，
but you hear people all the time bragging about how they’re not math people.
但你常会听到有人吹嘘 自己的数学真的不行。
And unfortunately,
不幸的是，
in the US, this tends to be more so among girls and women
在美国，这样的现象在 女孩和女人中比较常见，
than boys and men.
多於男孩和男人。
My research team and I have tried to understand
我和研究团队正试图了解
where this fear of math comes from,
这种对数学的恐惧来自何处，
and we’ve actually peered inside the brains
实际上我们窥探大脑内部，
using functional magnetic resonance imaging,
用的技术是功能性磁振造影，
of people who are worried about math.
研究对象是怕数学的人。
We’ve shown that math phobia correlates with a concrete visceral sensation
我们发现，数学恐惧症和一种实在的内臟感受有相关，
such as pain,
比如痛苦，
of which we have every right to feel anxious.
我们绝对有权对於痛苦感到焦虑。
In fact, when people who are worried about math
事实上，当怕数学的人
are just getting ready to take a math test --
準备要考数学时——
they’re not even taking it, they’re just getting ready --
还没开始考，只是準备去考——
areas of the brain known the be involved in our neural pain response are active.
大脑中已知和神经痛反应有关的区域就会开始活动。
When we say math is painful,
我们说数学让人很痛苦，
there’s some truth to it for some people.
对某些人来说，这或多或少是真的。
But where does this math anxiety come from?
但这种数学焦虑从何而来？
It turns out that math anxiety is contagious.
结果发现，数学焦虑是会传染的。
When adults are worried about math,
当成人在担心数学，
the children around them start worrying, too.
他们周围的儿童也会开始担心。
As young as first grade,
小至一年级的学童，
when kids are in classrooms
当他们在教室中，
with teachers who are anxious about their own math ability,
老师对於其自身的 数学能力感到焦虑时，
these kids learn less across the school year.
这些孩子在那个学年度 学到的就会比较少。
And it turns out that this is more prevalent in girls than boys.
结果发现，这种情况在女孩当中 比在男孩当中更常见。
At this young age,
在这麼小的时候，
kids tend to mimic same-sex adults,
孩子很容易会去模仿同性别的成人，
and at least in the US,
至少在美国，
over 90 percent of our elementary school teachers are women.
我们的小学老师 有超过 90% 是女性。
Of course, it’s not just what happens in the classroom.
当然，这状况不只发生在教室中。
Social media plays a big role here, too.
社交媒体也扮演很重要的角色。
It wasn’t so long ago
不久之前，
that you could purchase a Teen Talk Barbie
你还买得到会说话的少女芭比娃娃，
that when the cord was pulled,
把线绳拉起来之后，
it would say things like,
它就会说这样的话：
Will we ever have enough clothes?
「我们永远少一件衣服。」
and 'Math class is tough.'
和「数学课好难。」
And just a few years ago,
几年前，
major retailers were marketing T-shirts at our young girls
大型零售商在行销 给年轻女孩的 T 恤
that read things like, 'I’m too pretty to do math,'
上面会写著「我太漂亮， 不需要算数学。」
or, 'I’m too pretty to do my homework so my brother does it for me.'
或是「我太漂亮，不用做作业， 所以我兄弟会帮我做。」
And let’s not forget about the parents.
别忘了还有父母。
Oh, the parents.
喔，父母。
It turns out that when parents are worried about their own math ability
结果发现，如果父母担心 自己的数学能力
and they help their kids a lot with math homework,
且常常教孩子做数学作业，
their kids learn less math across the school year.
他们的孩子在那个学年 所学到的数学就会比较少。
As one parent put it,
有一位家长这样说：
I judge my first grader’s math homework
「我判断我家一年级生的 数学作业难易程度
by whether it’s a one-glass assignment or a three-glass night.'
是看它得花喝一杯酒 还是三杯酒的时间。」
(Laughter)
（笑声）
When adults are anxious about their own math ability,
当成人对於他们自己的 数学能力感到焦虑，
it rubs off on their kids
也会影响他们的孩子，
and it affects whether they choke or thrive.
且会影响到他们的表现 是失常或出色。
But just as we can put limits on others,
但，我们可以在其他人 身上加上限制，
we can take them off.
我们也可以拿掉限制。
My research team and I have shown
我和研究团队发现，
that when we help parents do fun math activities with their kids --
当我们协助父母与孩子 进行有趣的数学活动——
rather than, say, just doing bedtime stories or bedtime reading,
取代床边故事或床边诵读，
they do bedtime math,
改成做床边数学，
which are fun story problems to do with your kids at night,
跟孩子一起在晚间解决 有趣的故事性问题，
not only do children’s attitudes about math improve,
不仅是孩子对於数学的 态度会改善，
but their math performance across the school year improves as well.
他们在那个学年的 数学表现亦会改善。
Our environment matters.
我们的环境是重要的。
From the classroom to parents to media,
从教室，到父母，到媒体，
and it can really make a difference in terms of whether we choke or thrive.
环境真的可以造成不同， 决定我们的表现会失常或出色。
Fast-forward from my high school soccer game
从我高中的足球比赛快转
to my freshman year in college.
到我大学一年级。
I was in the chemistry sequence for science majors,
我在读化学学程，準备主修科学，
and boy did I not belong.
天，那真不适合我。
Even though I studied for my first midterm exam --
虽然我為第一次期中考苦读——
I thought I was ready to go --
我以為我準备好了——
I bombed it.
我考得很烂。
I literally got the worst grade in a class of 400 students.
我的成绩真的是 四百个学生当中最低的。
I was convinced I wasn’t going to be a science major,
我深信我不可能主修科学的，
that maybe I was dropping out of college altogether.
说不定我根本就连 大学都要一起放弃掉。
But then I changed how I studied.
但接著，我改变了读书方式。
Instead of studying alone,
我不再自己一个人读，
I started studying with a group of friends
我开始和一群朋友一起读，
who at the end of the study session would close their book
在读书会的尾声， 他们会把书本闔上，
and compete for the right answer.
比赛作答。
We learned to practice under stress.
我们学会在压力下练习。
If you could’ve looked inside my brain during that first midterm exam,
如果在第一次期中考时 能看到我的大脑内部，
you likely would’ve seen a neural pain response
很可能会看到有 神经痛的反应发生，
a lot like the math-anxious individuals I study.
就像是我研究的那些数学焦虑者。
It was probably there during the stressful study situation as well.
可能在有压力的读书会过程中 也会有同样的反应。
But when I walked into the final,
但当我去考期末考时，
my mind was quiet,
我很平静，
and I actually got one of the highest grades in the entire class.
我真的得到了全班最高分之一。
It wasn’t just about learning the material;
重点并不只是要学习教材；
it was about learning how to overcome my limits when it mattered most.
还要学习如何在最关键的 时刻克服我的限制。
What happens in our heads really matters,
我们脑中发生的状况是很重要的，
and knowing this,
知道这一点，
we can learn how to prepare ourselves and others for success,
我们就可以学习如何让自己準备好，也帮他人準备好，迎向成功，
not just on the playing field but in the boardroom
不仅是在球场上，也在会议室中，
and in the classroom as well.
以及教室中，迎向成功。
Thank you.
谢谢大家。
(Applause)
（掌声）
One of the most humiliating things
一个人能做出最丢脸的事情，
that you can say about someone is 'they choked.'
其中之一就是「失常」。
And boy, do I know that feeling.
哇，这感觉我可是很懂的。
Growing up, I was an avid athlete.
成长过程中，我是很热血的运动员。
My main sport was soccer, and I was a goalkeeper,
我主要玩的运动是足球， 且我是守门员，
which is both the best and the worst position on the field.
那是球场上最好也最糟的位置。
You see, when you’re a goalie, you get this special uniform,
如果你是守门员， 你会有特别的制服，
you get all the glory for a great shot saved,
若你挡下了很棒的射门， 荣耀通通归你，
but you also get the grief when you land a shot in the goal.
但如果你让球进了门， 悲伤也是归你。
When you’re a goalie,
如果你是守门员， 目光都集中在你身上，
all eyes are on you,
目光会带来压力。
and with that comes the pressure.
我非常清楚记得高中时的一场比赛。
I distinctly remember one game in high school.
我隶属於加州队，
I was playing for the California state team
这是奥运发展计画的一部分。
which is part of the Olympic Development Program.
那场比赛我表现很好……
I was having a great game ...
直到我发现
until I realized that the national coach was standing right behind me.
国家教练就站在我后面。
That’s when everything changed.
那时一切都改变了。
In a matter of seconds,
才几秒鐘的时间，
I went from playing at the top to the bottom of my ability.
我就从把能力发挥到最好 变成发挥到最差。
Just knowing that I was being evaluated changed my performance
光是知道有人在评估我， 就改变了我的表现，
and forever how I thought about the mental aspect of how we perform.
以及永远改变了 我如何看待表现的心理层面。
All of a sudden the ball seemed to go in slow motion,
突然间，球似乎变成了慢动作，
and I was fixated on my every move.
我注视著我的每一个动作。
The next shot that came I bobbled,
下一次射门时，我没挡下来，
but thankfully it didn’t land in the goal.
但谢天谢地，它没有进门。
The shot after that,
再下一次射门，
I wasn’t so lucky:
我就没那麼幸运了：
I tipped it right into the net.
我轻触到球，直接送它进门。
My team lost;
我的球队输了；
the national coach walked away.
国家教练也走了。
I choked under the pressure of those evaluative eyes on me.
在评鑑我的目光造成的 压力下，我失常了。
Just about everyone does it from time to time --
几乎每个人偶尔都会 发生这种状况——
there are so many opportunities,
有好多机会，
whether it’s taking a test,
不论是考试、
giving a talk,
演讲、
pitching to a client
向客户提案，
or that special form of torture I like to call the job interview.
或是折磨的一种特殊形式， 我称之為工作面试。
(Laughter)
（笑声）
But the question is why.
但，问题是，為什麼会这样？
Why do we sometimes fail to perform up to our potential under pressure?
為什麼在压力下，我们有时 就无法把潜力发挥出来？
It’s especially bewildering in the case of athletes
在运动员的情况中， 这个问题特别让人困惑，
who spend so much time physically honing their craft.
因為他们花了那麼多时间 在磨练他们的身体技艺。
But what about their minds?
但他们的心灵呢？
Not as much.
没那麼多磨练。
This is true off the playing field as well.
在球场以外的地方亦是如此。
Whether we’re taking a test of giving a talk,
不论是考试或是演讲，
it’s easy to feel like we’re ready --
很容易就觉得我们準备好了——
at the top of our game --
觉得自己最行——
and then perform at our worst when it matters most.
接著却在最关键的时刻 表现得一塌糊涂。
It turns out that rarely do we practice
结果是因為我们练习的时候
under the types of conditions we’re actually going to perform under,
很少会有和实际要表现时 同样的条件或环境，
and as a result,
结果就是，
when all eyes are on us,
当所有人都看著我们时，
we sometimes flub our performance.
我们有时就会搞砸。
Of course, the question is, why is this the case?
当然，问题是，為什麼会这样？
And my experience on the playing field --
我在球场上的经验
and in other important facets of my life --
和我人生中其他重要面向的经验
really pushed me into the field of cognitive science.
让我进入了认知科学的领域。
I wanted to know how we could reach our limitless potential.
我想要知道我们要如何 达到自己无限的潜能。
I wanted to understand how we could use our knowledge
我想要了解我们要如何运用我们
of the mind and the brain
心灵和大脑的知识，
to come up with psychological tools that would help us perform at our best.
来创造出一些心理工具， 协助我们发挥最佳表现。
So why does it happen?
為什麼会失常？
Why do we sometimes fail to perform up to what we’re capable of
為什麼当压力压上来时， 我们有时就无法把原本
when the pressure is on?
应该能达成的表现做出来？
It may not be so surprising to hear that in stressful situations, we worry.
我们会在压力大的情境中担心， 这点应该不让人意外。
We worry about the situation,
我们会担心那个情境，
the consequences,
担心后果，
what others will think of us.
担心别人怎麼看待我们。
But what is surprising is that we often get in our own way
但让人意外的是， 正是因為我们的担心
precisely because our worries prompt us to concentrate too much.
会过度暗示我们要专心， 反而造成了阻碍。
That’s right --
没错，
we pay too much attention to what we’re doing.
我们对当下做的事过度注意。
When we’re concerned about performing our best,
当我们念念不忘要做出最佳表现时
we often try and control aspects of what we’re doing
就往往尝试去控制我们正在做的事，
that are best left on autopilot,
原本最好是留在意识之外
outside conscious awareness,
任其自由发展，
and as a result,
结果就是
we mess up.
搞砸了。
Think about a situation where you’re shuffling down the stairs.
想想看一个情境， 你正在快速下楼梯。
What would happen if I asked you
如果我请你在下楼梯时
to think about what you’re doing with your knee
想著你如何使用你的膝盖，
while you’re doing that?
会发生什麼事？
There’s a good chance you’d fall on your face.
很有可能你会跌个狗吃屎。
We as humans only have the ability to pay attention to so much at once,
我们人类同时 能使用的注意力有限，
which is why, by the way,
顺便一提，这就是為什麼
it’s not a good idea to drive and talk on the cell phone.
开车时最好不要讲电话。
And under pressure,
在压力之下，
when we’re concerned about performing at our best,
当我们很在意要做出最佳表现时，
we can try and control aspects of what we’re doing
我们可能会试图去控制 我们正在做的事，
that should be left outside conscious control.
而那些应该不要由意识来控制。
The end result is that we mess up.
最后的结果就是，我们会搞砸。
My research team and I have studied this phenomenon of overattention,
我和我的研究团队一直在研究 这个注意力过度的现象，
and we call it paralysis by analysis.
我们称之為「分析造成的瘫痪」。
In one study, we asked college soccer players to dribble a soccer ball
在一项研究中，我们请 大学的足球队员盘球，
and to pay attention to an aspect of their performance
同时把注意力放在 他们表现的一个面向上，
that they would not otherwise attend to.
那个面向是他们本来不注意的。
We asked them to pay attention
我们请他们去注意
to what side of the foot was contacting the ball.
脚的哪一面接触到球。
We showed that performance was slower and more error-prone
我们发现，当我们把他们的注意力
when we drew their attention to the step-by-step details
转移到当下行為的细节上时，
of what they were doing.
他们的表现会变缓慢且易出错。
When the pressure is on,
当有压力时，
we’re often concerned with performing at our best,
我们会很在意要做出最佳表现，
and as a result we try and control what we’re doing
结果就是我们试图 控制我们在做的事，
to force the best performance.
来强迫做出最佳表现。
The end result is that we actually screw up.
最后的结果就是就是 我们真的会搞砸。
In basketball,
在篮球上，
the term 'unconscious' is used to describe a shooter who can’t miss.
会用「无意识」来形容神射手。
And San Antonio Spurs star Tim Duncan has said,
圣安东尼马刺队的球星 提姆邓肯说过：
When you have to stop and think, that’s when you mess up.
「要停下来想的时候 就是你搞砸的时候。」
In dance, the great choreographer, George Balanchine,
在舞蹈上，伟大的 编舞家乔治巴兰奇
used to urge his dancers,
以前会要求他的舞者：
Don’t think, just do.
「别思考，只管去做。」
When the pressure’s on,
当有压力时，
when we want to put our best foot forward,
当我们想要表现得最好时，
somewhat ironically,
很讽刺的，
we often try and control what we’re doing in a way that leads to worse performance.
我们控制当下行為的方式反而导致了最糟的表现。
So what do we do?
所以，我们要怎麼做？
Knowing that we have this overactive attention,
已经知道我们的注意力过度时，
how do we ensure that we perform at our best?
我们要如何确保 自己能做出最佳表现？
A lot of it comes down to the prefrontal cortex,
有很大一部分和前额叶皮质有关，
that front part of our brain that sits over our eyes
它位在我们大脑的 前侧，眼睛上方，
and usually helps us focus in positive ways.
通常是以正面的方式 在协助我们专注。
It often gets hooked on the wrong things.
它常常会被不对的事物勾引住。
So how do we unhook it?
我们要如何把它拉回来？
Something as simple as singing a song,
很简单，比如唱一首歌，
or paying attention to one’s pinky toe,
或是把注意力放在小趾头上，
as pro golfer Jack Nicklaus was rumored to do,
据说职业高尔夫选手 杰克尼克劳斯就用这一招，
can help us take our mind off those pesky details.
这些方式能协助我们 把心思从恼人的细节转移开。
It’s also true that practicing under conditions
还有一点也是确定的， 若能让练习时的条件
that we’re going to perform under --
符合实做时的条件——
closing the gap between training and competition
把训练和竞争之间的差距缩小，
can help us get used to that feeling of all eyes on us.
能协助我们习惯被眾人瞩目的感觉。
This is true off the playing field as well.
在球场以外的地方也一样。
Whether it’s getting ready for an exam
不论是準备考试，
or preparing for a big talk --
或是準备一场重要演说——
one that might have a little pressure associated with it --
可能和压力有点关係的演说——
(Laughter)
（笑声）
getting used to the types of situations you’re going to perform under
习惯将来要实做时的情境
really matters.
真的很重要。
When you’re taking a test, close the book,
若你要考试，把书闔上，
practice retrieving the answer from memory under timed situations,
练习在有时间限制的情况下 把答案从记忆中找出来，
and when you’re giving a talk,
若你要演说，
practice in front of others.
在其他人面前练习。
And if you can’t find anyone who will listen,
如果你无法找到愿意听的人，
practice in front of a video camera or even a mirror.
在摄影机甚至镜子前面练习。
The ability to get used to what it will feel like can make the difference
习惯实做感觉的能力能造成不同，
in whether we choke or thrive.
表现失常或是表现出色的不同。
We’ve also figured out some ways to get rid of those pesky worries
我们也想出一些能够摆脱那些 恼人的担忧和自我怀疑的方法，
and self-doubts that tend to creep up in the stressful situations.
它们通常不知不觉地出现在 有压力的情况下。
Researchers have shown that simply jotting down your thoughts and worries
研究者发现， 在从事有压力的活动之前
before a stressful event
只要草草写下你的想法和担心，
can help to download them from mind --
就能够协助你把它们 从脑袋中下载下来，
make them less likely to pop up in the moment.
减低它们在重要时刻跳出来的机率。
It’s kind of like when you wake up in the middle of the night
这就有点像是当你半夜醒来时，
and you’re really worried about what you have to do the next day,
真的很担心明天要做的事，
you’re trying to think about everything you have to accomplish,
你试著去想必须要完成的所有事项，
and you write it down and then you can go back to sleep.
把它们写下来，就回去睡觉。
Journaling, or getting those thoughts down on paper,
写日记，或是把那些想法写在纸上，
makes it less likely they’ll pop up and distract you in the moment.
减低它们在重要时刻跳出来 让你分心的机率。
The end result is that you can perform your best when it matters most.
最后的结果是 在关键时刻你能表现得最好。
So up until now,
到目前為止，
I’ve talked about what happens when we put limits on ourselves
我已经谈了当我们把限制 加在自己身上时会发生什麼事，
and some tips we can use to help perform up to our potential.
以及可以用来协助我们 发挥潜能的一些小密诀。
But it’s important to remember
但，很重要的是要记住，
that it’s not just our own individual being
不只有我们自己本身
that can put limits and that can perform poorly;
会加上限制且会表现不佳；
our environment has an effect on whether we choke or thrive.
我们的环境也能影响我们 会表现失常或表现出色。
Our parents, our teachers, our coaches, our bosses all influence
我们的父母、老师、教练、老闆
whether or not we can put our best foot forward when it matters most.
都会影响我们是否能在关键时刻 做出最佳表现。
Take math as an example.
以数学為例。
That’s right, I said it:
没错，你们没听错：
math.
数学。
Lots of people profess to choke or are anxious about doing math,
许多人声称在做数学时 会失常或是焦虑，
whether it’s taking a test or even calculating the tip on a dinner bill
不论是考试，或甚至是 旁边有聪明的朋友在看著
as our smart friends look on.
你计算晚餐帐单上的小费，
And it’s quite socially acceptable
大家都还蛮习惯
to talk about choking or performing poorly in math.
可以把在数学上的失常 或不佳表现拿出来谈。
You don’t hear highly educated people walking around talking about the fact
你不会听到教育程度高的人到处谈论
or bragging about the fact that they’re not good readers,
或是夸口说自己的阅读能力差，
but you hear people all the time bragging about how they’re not math people.
但你常会听到有人吹嘘 自己的数学真的不行。
And unfortunately,
不幸的是，
in the US, this tends to be more so among girls and women
在美国，这样的现象在 女孩和女人中比较常见，
than boys and men.
多於男孩和男人。
My research team and I have tried to understand
我和研究团队正试图了解
where this fear of math comes from,
这种对数学的恐惧来自何处，
and we’ve actually peered inside the brains
实际上我们窥探大脑内部，
using functional magnetic resonance imaging,
用的技术是功能性磁振造影，
of people who are worried about math.
研究对象是怕数学的人。
We’ve shown that math phobia correlates with a concrete visceral sensation
我们发现，数学恐惧症和一种实在的内臟感受有相关，
such as pain,
比如痛苦，
of which we have every right to feel anxious.
我们绝对有权对於痛苦感到焦虑。
In fact, when people who are worried about math
事实上，当怕数学的人
are just getting ready to take a math test --
準备要考数学时——
they’re not even taking it, they’re just getting ready --
还没开始考，只是準备去考——
areas of the brain known the be involved in our neural pain response are active.
大脑中已知和神经痛反应有关的区域就会开始活动。
When we say math is painful,
我们说数学让人很痛苦，
there’s some truth to it for some people.
对某些人来说，这或多或少是真的。
But where does this math anxiety come from?
但这种数学焦虑从何而来？
It turns out that math anxiety is contagious.
结果发现，数学焦虑是会传染的。
When adults are worried about math,
当成人在担心数学，
the children around them start worrying, too.
他们周围的儿童也会开始担心。
As young as first grade,
小至一年级的学童，
when kids are in classrooms
当他们在教室中，
with teachers who are anxious about their own math ability,
老师对於其自身的 数学能力感到焦虑时，
these kids learn less across the school year.
这些孩子在那个学年度 学到的就会比较少。
And it turns out that this is more prevalent in girls than boys.
结果发现，这种情况在女孩当中 比在男孩当中更常见。
At this young age,
在这麼小的时候，
kids tend to mimic same-sex adults,
孩子很容易会去模仿同性别的成人，
and at least in the US,
至少在美国，
over 90 percent of our elementary school teachers are women.
我们的小学老师 有超过 90% 是女性。
Of course, it’s not just what happens in the classroom.
当然，这状况不只发生在教室中。
Social media plays a big role here, too.
社交媒体也扮演很重要的角色。
It wasn’t so long ago
不久之前，
that you could purchase a Teen Talk Barbie
你还买得到会说话的少女芭比娃娃，
that when the cord was pulled,
把线绳拉起来之后，
it would say things like,
它就会说这样的话：
Will we ever have enough clothes?
「我们永远少一件衣服。」
and 'Math class is tough.'
和「数学课好难。」
And just a few years ago,
几年前，
major retailers were marketing T-shirts at our young girls
大型零售商在行销 给年轻女孩的 T 恤
that read things like, 'I’m too pretty to do math,'
上面会写著「我太漂亮， 不需要算数学。」
or, 'I’m too pretty to do my homework so my brother does it for me.'
或是「我太漂亮，不用做作业， 所以我兄弟会帮我做。」
And let’s not forget about the parents.
别忘了还有父母。
Oh, the parents.
喔，父母。
It turns out that when parents are worried about their own math ability
结果发现，如果父母担心 自己的数学能力
and they help their kids a lot with math homework,
且常常教孩子做数学作业，
their kids learn less math across the school year.
他们的孩子在那个学年 所学到的数学就会比较少。
As one parent put it,
有一位家长这样说：
I judge my first grader’s math homework
「我判断我家一年级生的 数学作业难易程度
by whether it’s a one-glass assignment or a three-glass night.'
是看它得花喝一杯酒 还是三杯酒的时间。」
(Laughter)
（笑声）
When adults are anxious about their own math ability,
当成人对於他们自己的 数学能力感到焦虑，
it rubs off on their kids
也会影响他们的孩子，
and it affects whether they choke or thrive.
且会影响到他们的表现 是失常或出色。
But just as we can put limits on others,
但，我们可以在其他人 身上加上限制，
we can take them off.
我们也可以拿掉限制。
My research team and I have shown
我和研究团队发现，
that when we help parents do fun math activities with their kids --
当我们协助父母与孩子 进行有趣的数学活动——
rather than, say, just doing bedtime stories or bedtime reading,
取代床边故事或床边诵读，
they do bedtime math,
改成做床边数学，
which are fun story problems to do with your kids at night,
跟孩子一起在晚间解决 有趣的故事性问题，
not only do children’s attitudes about math improve,
不仅是孩子对於数学的 态度会改善，
but their math performance across the school year improves as well.
他们在那个学年的 数学表现亦会改善。
Our environment matters.
我们的环境是重要的。
From the classroom to parents to media,
从教室，到父母，到媒体，
and it can really make a difference in terms of whether we choke or thrive.
环境真的可以造成不同， 决定我们的表现会失常或出色。
Fast-forward from my high school soccer game
从我高中的足球比赛快转
to my freshman year in college.
到我大学一年级。
I was in the chemistry sequence for science majors,
我在读化学学程，準备主修科学，
and boy did I not belong.
天，那真不适合我。
Even though I studied for my first midterm exam --
虽然我為第一次期中考苦读——
I thought I was ready to go --
我以為我準备好了——
I bombed it.
我考得很烂。
I literally got the worst grade in a class of 400 students.
我的成绩真的是 四百个学生当中最低的。
I was convinced I wasn’t going to be a science major,
我深信我不可能主修科学的，
that maybe I was dropping out of college altogether.
说不定我根本就连 大学都要一起放弃掉。
But then I changed how I studied.
但接著，我改变了读书方式。
Instead of studying alone,
我不再自己一个人读，
I started studying with a group of friends
我开始和一群朋友一起读，
who at the end of the study session would close their book
在读书会的尾声， 他们会把书本闔上，
and compete for the right answer.
比赛作答。
We learned to practice under stress.
我们学会在压力下练习。
If you could’ve looked inside my brain during that first midterm exam,
如果在第一次期中考时 能看到我的大脑内部，
you likely would’ve seen a neural pain response
很可能会看到有 神经痛的反应发生，
a lot like the math-anxious individuals I study.
就像是我研究的那些数学焦虑者。
It was probably there during the stressful study situation as well.
可能在有压力的读书会过程中 也会有同样的反应。
But when I walked into the final,
但当我去考期末考时，
my mind was quiet,
我很平静，
and I actually got one of the highest grades in the entire class.
我真的得到了全班最高分之一。
It wasn’t just about learning the material;
重点并不只是要学习教材；
it was about learning how to overcome my limits when it mattered most.
还要学习如何在最关键的 时刻克服我的限制。
What happens in our heads really matters,
我们脑中发生的状况是很重要的，
and knowing this,
知道这一点，
we can learn how to prepare ourselves and others for success,
我们就可以学习如何让自己準备好，也帮他人準备好，迎向成功，
not just on the playing field but in the boardroom
不仅是在球场上，也在会议室中，
and in the classroom as well.
以及教室中，迎向成功。
Thank you.
谢谢大家。
(Applause)
（掌声）
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