Perspective, Pressure, and Performing Through Adversity with Dr Andrew Wood

What if the biggest obstacle to performing under pressure isn't the situation itself, but the way we think about it? In this episode, Martin talks to fellow psychologist and world-leading expert on pressure and adversity, Dr. Andrew Wood, about the strategies and philosophies that can help you take control of the irrational beliefs that often hold us back.We discuss rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT) and how irrational core beliefs fuel pressure, anxiety, and maladaptive behaviour. Andrew explains REBT’s focus on flexible, rational beliefs, distinguishing helpful vs unhelpful responses rather than positive vs negative thinking, and introduces concepts like awfulizing & low frustration tolerance. He describes tools such as the “badness scale,” 10-10-10 perspective taking, humour, and testing beliefs through controlled exposure to feared situations. Andrew also discusses leadership climates that normalise all-or-nothing thinking, and shares his own long COVID experience, bedbound for a year, identity loss, and using rationality, values and symptom-tracking to cope, ending with reflections on reconciling fear of death to reduce everyday fears.Guest, Cast & CrewDr. Andrew Wood is a Performance Psychologist, keynote speaker, and published researcher specialising in rational thinking under pressure. Drawing on over a decade working with elite athletes, emergency services, corporate leaders, and his own lived experience navigating life-changing disability, Andrew's work sits at the intersection of science, story, and practicality. He doesn't just teach people how to think more clearly and perform at their best when faced with setbacks, he's also had to do it himself, when it mattered the most. Hosted by Martin Jones https://www.ophp.co.uk Produced & edited by Bess ManleyResourceshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/drandrewwood/[email protected] Thanks for tuning in. If you found this podcast valuable, please take a moment to rate, share & review. If you have feedback, guest suggestions or topics that you'd love us to cover, then do email us at [email protected] or connect with us on LinkedIn.    Chapters02:20 REBT Explained 05:09 Irrational Beliefs In Action05:53 Awfulizing07:44 Badness Scale Perspective11:14 When Identity Collapses14:39 Culture And Leadership Climate18:06 Resilience Myths And Language22:00 Building Robustness And Tolerance25:48 Reframing Pain And Discomfort27:33 Bedbound After COVID28:09 Finding Your Why29:06 Meaning Without Extremes31:07 Testing Beliefs Safely34:26 Tools Without The App36:49 Imagery And Perspective38:37 Reframing Setbacks41:24 No One Is Perfectly Rational43:39 Long COVID Lived Experience47:16 Acceptance And New Normal49:45 Keynote Plans And Contact50:44 Making Peace With Death51:50 Final Wrap UpThanks for listening to Optimising Human Performance.This podcast is for people who can’t afford to fail. Each episode gives you practical, evidence‑based tools you can apply in the real world.For more about the podcast, speaking, coaching, and mentoring, visit:www.ophp.co.ukConnect with us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ophp/Instagram: @ophumanperformanceIf you found this episode useful, please share it with one colleague, subscribe, and leave a review – it helps us reach more people who operate in high‑stakes environments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.