Be a Top Gun Under Pressure

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Morning, friend!

Hope you had some rest this weekend.

Mine was good, but it was so sad to hear that Val Kilmer passed away.

He was one of my favourite actors, and Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in Top Gun was so cool.

Iceman wasn’t about bravado as a fighter pilot, although he was super competitive.

He was all about calm confidence, clarity, discipline, and a cool head.

Leading your team under pressure isn’t about heroic stunts.

It’s about staying steady when things get messy.

Want to channel your inner Iceman?

Grab your coffee ☕️ 

Let’s chat!

The Chilling Reality of Pressure

You know the feeling:

Your inbox is flooded with Unread.

Your boss is breathing down your neck.

Your team is looking to you for guidance and direction.

It’s in those moments, under real heat, that leaders are made... or unmade.

We’ve seen what happens when leaders crack. Rash decisions, blame games, emotional outbursts. And while your job might not involve F16 dogfights over the Pacific, the fallout from poor reactions can be just as costly.

Lose Your Cool, Lose Your Credibility

So, do you bring calm, or do you bring chaos?

Under pressure, people watch how you respond. Not just what you say, but your tone, your posture, your vibe.

When you melt down, your team loses trust. When you freeze up, your people stall. Leadership isn’t about being perfect.

It’s about being reliable when it matters most.

So how do you keep your cool, lead the mission, and earn your team’s confidence, even when things go sideways?

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How to be a Top Gun under pressure? Reframe. Focus. Execute.

Inspired by Iceman’s legendary leadership and the best minds in high-performance psychology, here’s a 3 tips to stay ice-cool under pressure.

1. Reframe: See the Obstacle as Opportunity

From Ryan Holiday’s The Obstacle Is the Way.

Pressure triggers panic when we treat it as threat. But stoic leaders see obstacles as fuel. Marcus Aurelius said:
“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”

When things go wrong, Iceman doesn’t complain — he recalibrates. He keeps the mission in mind. Cool. Tactical. Forward-looking.

Try this: Ask yourself, “What’s the opportunity here? What can this teach me or my team?” Turning pressure into purpose is the first step to staying calm.

2. Focus: On What You Can Control

From Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead.

Under stress, our minds spiral. We imagine worst-case scenarios. We try to control the uncontrollable. That’s when teams flail.

Instead, follow Iceman’s lead:
Ignore the noise. Control your breathing. Stick to the plan. He didn’t chase glory. He stuck to the fundamentals.

Brown teaches that calm leadership begins with clarity: What’s mine to own? What’s noise? What matters right now?

Try this: Zoom in to your Circle of Control. Focus your team on what they can do today. Even naming what’s out of your control reduces anxiety and restores focus.

3. Execute: Trust Your Ability to Perform

From Hendrie Weisinger’s Performing Under Pressure.

We choke under pressure not because we lack skill, but because we stop trusting ourselves.

Iceman never doubted his preparation.

That’s why others called him: “Ice-cold. No mistakes.”

Weisinger calls this pressure management: breathing, visualization, self-talk.

All designed to activate confidence and precision under fire.

Try this: In high-stakes moments, shift your self-talk like Ronaldo below. Instead of “Don’t mess this up,” say “It is normal to score.” Pressure reveals preparation.

Final Salute

Iceman wasn’t loud or flashy.

But when the mission mattered,

He showed up steady, focused, calm, ready.

In today’s high pressure environments, this is key for success.

Reframe the pressure. Focus your attention. Execute with confidence.

Be a Top Gun.

Get your boss to say:

“You can be my wingman anytime.”

Hope you enjoyed today’s newsletter, friend!.

Till next week, cheers!

Vaugan

Today’s Chess Puzzle

It’s White’s turn to move in today’s puzzle.

Can you force the mate?

See the solution here.

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