Mastering Pitch Pressure: How to Stay Calm and Perform at Your Best
Twenty years ago, in a plush Sydney hotel, on the eve of pitching for what would have been our biggest client yet, I spent most of the night in my room—on an expensive toilet, sick with nerves.
The next day? I bombed.
At one point, I froze mid-sentence, completely blanking on what I was meant to say next.
Where was Alyson Meister’s and Maude Lavanchy’s Harvard Business Review article, The Science of Choking Under Pressure, when I needed it?
It unpacks how elite athletes manage high-stakes moments—and how we can apply the same strategies to performing under pressure.
At Pitch Camp, we see pitching as a performance discipline—and these strategies are as relevant for the boardroom as they are for the stadium.
Here are three of the most effective ways to stay composed, clear, and confident when it matters most.
1. See It Before It Happens: The Power of Visualisation
Elite athletes don’t just hope for a great performance.
They see it in advance.
They imagine:
The putt rolling into the hole.
The ball curling into the back of the net.
Where they need to be midway through a race to finish strong.
By the time game day arrives, they’ve already lived the moment in their minds.
And the same goes for pitching.
Before your next big pitch, try this:
Visualise your arrival. How will you walk into the room?
Picture your setup. Where will you stand? What will your colleagues be doing?
See yourself delivering your key point. How will you engage? What will you say first?
Imagine handling questions with confidence. What’s your posture? How do you respond?
Seeing is believing. And for the best pitchers, it starts long before the meeting.
2. Build a Pre-Pitch Routine
Ever watched Rafael Nadal serve a tennis ball?
He tugs at his shirt, wipes his nose, adjusts his socks—every time.
It’s not a nervous tic. It’s a deliberate routine—one that has helped make him one of the greatest high-pressure athletes of all time.
Routine = calm, consistency, and control.
What’s your pre-pitch routine?
For years, mine was chaos—frantically tweaking slides in the car on the way to the meeting.
(Spoiler: It did nothing for my stress levels.)
Then, I switched to something far simpler—something I learned years earlier from a Dale Carnegie course.
I smiled.
Before walking into a pitch, I’d say "Smile"—slowly, out loud, through a big toothy grin.
Then I’d repeat it.
Sounds simple? It is.
But smiling is scientifically proven to relax your nervous system—and it instantly shifts the energy in the room.
I can’t remember the last time I entered a pitch not smiling. And I can’t imagine doing it any other way.
3. Reframe Pressure as a Privilege
Tennis legend Billie Jean King once said:
"Pressure is a privilege."
And it’s true.
The nerves you feel before a pitch? They’re a sign that you’re doing something that matters.
Meister and Lavanchy’s research shows that high performers don’t fight stress—they embrace it.
A simple mindset shift can make all the difference.
Try this:
Next time you think:
👎"I have to pitch today."
Switch it to:
👍"I get to pitch today."
👎 "I have to nail this."
👍"I get to share my ideas with the people that matter."
Changing “have” to “get” moves pitching from a task to an opportunity.
And it releases the pressure that stops so many people from performing at their best.
Why Should Athletes Have All the Fun?
The best athletes, musicians, and performers use these techniques every day.
Why shouldn’t pitchers? Especially pitchers who want to pitch naturally and not do the hard-sell to their audience.
Visualise your success before it happens.
Develop a pre-pitch routine that works for you.
Embrace pressure as proof that you’re playing at the right level.
The next time you step into a pitch, you won’t just be prepared.
You’ll be performing at your best.
PS: If you want even more proven high-performance strategies, here’s Meister and Lavanchy’s HBR article. It is worth the read.
Good luck on game day. And as always—
Happy pitching,
Pete.