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 & Crew

Dr. 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 Manley

Resources

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/drandrewwood/?originalSubdomain=uk
• drandrewgwood@gmail.com 

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Chapters

02:20 REBT Explained 

05:09 Irrational Beliefs In Action

05:53 Awfulizing

07:44 Badness Scale Perspective

11:14 When Identity Collapses

14:39 Culture And Leadership Climate

18:06 Resilience Myths And Language

22:00 Building Robustness And Tolerance

25:48 Reframing Pain And Discomfort

27:33 Bedbound After COVID

28:09 Finding Your Why

29:06 Meaning Without Extremes

31:07 Testing Beliefs Safely

34:26 Tools Without The App

36:49 Imagery And Perspective

38:37 Reframing Setbacks

41:24 No One Is Perfectly Rational

43:39 Long COVID Lived Experience

47:16 Acceptance And New Normal

49:45 Keynote Plans And Contact

50:44 Making Peace With Death

51:50 Final Wrap Up

Thanks 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.

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