--- title: "Myth-busting: You Do Your Best Work Under Pressure" description: Use the time you have - you need it, really --- [![](https://blog.propllr.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Propllr_2025/images/2024/logo.svg)](https://propllr.com/) - What We Do - [Public Relations](https://propllr.com/pr-for-startups/) - [Content Marketing](https://propllr.com/content-marketing/) - What We’ve Done - [Case Studies](https://propllr.com/case-studies/) - [Client News](https://propllr.com/client-news/) - What We Think - [Blog](https://blog.propllr.com/) - About - [About](https://propllr.com/about/) - [Life at Propllr](https://propllr.com/life-at-propllr/) - [Contact](https://propllr.com/contact/) - What We Do - [Public Relations](https://propllr.com/pr-for-startups/) - [Content Marketing](https://propllr.com/content-marketing/) - What We’ve Done - [Case Studies](https://propllr.com/case-studies/) - [Client News](https://propllr.com/client-news/) - What We Think - [Blog](https://blog.propllr.com/) - About - [About](https://propllr.com/about/) - [Life at Propllr](https://propllr.com/life-at-propllr/) - [Contact](https://propllr.com/contact/) # Myth-busting: You Do Your Best Work Under Pressure By [Josh Inglis](https://blog.propllr.com/author/josh-inglis) | May 1, 2014 I had an epiphany. Last week I spoke with the owner of a growth company in a demanding and highly competitive industry. His was one of those businesses you don’t even know exists until you hear about it. And then you think – of course that kind of company exists (and when you had no idea this kind of company existed, it is particularly amazing when you learn that it can have 1,500 people on-premise working during its busiest times of the year). But I digress (“I digress” would be a good name for this blog (as would “Parenthetically”)). This business owner, let’s call him Joel (because that’s actually his name), and I spoke about a wide variety of things, including how people often say they do their best work under pressure. That’s when the epiphany struck: We all **think** we do good work, and we are always under pressure, ergo (ergot?), we all **think** we do good work under pressure. But **do** we? No. Even though we all feel we are above average, half of us are below average (it’s called Illusory Superiority, [look it up](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illusory_superiority)). This is most famously demonstrated by how most people see themselves as being above-average drivers, even those from Indiana. Illusory superiority applies to all aspects of our lives, even work. Some days may be better than others, but at some point, all of us will spend time on the wrong side of average. So how can you improve your odds of being above average? I would argue that removing pressure – not inviting it – is the first step. Thankfully, because so much of pressure is self-made, this isn’t as hard as we think: - ***Say "no" to a false sense of urgency* **– don’t set a deadline of tomorrow when next week will do. - ***Stop looking at being under pressure as a virtue*** – bravery and loyalty are virtues, pressure is a state of being. - ***Don’t give yourself the leeway to procrastinate*** – pressure is not what brings out your best. The age of instant everything and our misguided beliefs about our own abilities have us falling into a speed trap where we see time as the great differentiator. But by extending time, we can better leverage our insight, experience, creativity and talents, and compete on something much more important. ### POSTS BY TAG - [PR (111)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/pr) - [Content Marketing (86)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/content-marketing) - [Video (71)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/video) - [Here's How (68)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/heres-how) - [Case Studies (63)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/case-studies) - [Startups (34)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/startups) - [Ideas (16)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/ideas) - [Onward / Upward (15)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/onward-upward) - [Measurement (8)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/measurement) - [Media Training (8)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/media-training) - [Chicago (7)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/chicago) - [Awards (4)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/awards) - [Podcasts (4)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/podcasts) - [Social Media (4)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/social-media) - [Press Releases (3)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/press-releases) - [Research and Surveys (3)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/research-and-surveys) - [SEO (3)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/seo) - [Conference Marketing (2)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/conference-marketing) - [Surveys (1)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/surveys) - [Website (1)](https://blog.propllr.com/tag/website) see all ### Join Tech’s Top Marketers Get dispatches from the front lines of comms, search, PR, social, AI – and what it all means for B2B tech companies. #### Follow Us ### Recently Published ### [![](https://blog.propllr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/PR%20NL%20-%20JUNE%20blog.jpg?width=110&height=64&name=PR%20NL%20-%20JUNE%20blog.jpg) Every Blog Post Needs a Job June's Momentum ...](https://blog.propllr.com/every-blog-post-needs-a-job) ### [![](https://blog.propllr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/PR%20NL%20-%20MAY%202026%20Blog.jpg?width=110&height=64&name=PR%20NL%20-%20MAY%202026%20Blog.jpg) Do Your Own Research (But Not in an Anti-Vax Way) Propllr's May 2026 ...](https://blog.propllr.com/may-2026-newsletter) ### [![](https://blog.propllr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/PR%20Blog%20-%20AI%20and%20Writing-41.jpg?width=110&height=64&name=PR%20Blog%20-%20AI%20and%20Writing-41.jpg) AI and Writing: How to Embrace Innovation Without Sacrificing Your Creative Soul AI won’t replace your ...](https://blog.propllr.com/ai-and-writing-how-to-embrace-innovation-without-sacrificing-your-creative-soul) ## Related Posts ### [![](https://blog.propllr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/PropllrGivesBack%20(5568%20x%203712%20px).png?width=370&height=210&name=PropllrGivesBack%20(5568%20x%203712%20px).png) December 18, 2024 Propllr Gives Back 2024 Propllr employees highlight the causes they’re donating to (with matches from Propllr) this year. 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