Pressure Is Weather: Own the Huddle by Marek Olvenic

A crisp field guide to performing when the day gets loud, Pressure Is Weather begins on the Night of Noise and teaches you to name it, read it, and move through it. Marek Olvenic shows how to build an inner “room” you can carry anywhere, train a second mind that holds under stress, and own the huddle with language that steadies a team. From fast resets to the thin edge of flow, from “name before number” to the work of we, this is a compact playbook for leaders and performers who need calm that works at full speed.
What you will learn
• How to name the noise and turn it into readable weather instead of panic
• How to build a portable focus room: breath, posture, anchors, and 30-second rituals
• The “second mind”: reps, checklists, and cues that lower cognitive load under stress
• How to own the huddle: short calls, clear roles, and language that transfers confidence
• The art of reset: 10-second recoveries after errors so momentum returns
• “Name before number”: values and roles first then metrics, not the other way around
• Working the thin edge of flow: finding the arousal window, entry/exit cues, and team flow
• Before the tunnel: pre-event scripts, contingencies, and pressure rehearseals that stick
• The work of we: psychological safety, feedback loops, and trust built in tiny moments
• Windows and weather: situational reads, if-then plans, and choosing tempo
• The room you keep: post-game decompression, reflection, and long-arc resilience
Who this book is for
• Athletes, coaches, and operators who perform in real time
• Founders, managers, and creatives leading teams through high stakes work
• Medical, education, and frontline leaders who need steady huddles under pressure
• Anyone who wants reliable calm and clear decisions when it counts
Keywords that help readers discover this book
performance psychology, mental skills, flow state, pressure management, reset protocols, team communication, leadership under stress, routines and rituals, values and metrics, resilience
Open Pressure Is Weather and learn to read the sky, keep your room, and lead the huddle so the day’s weather never decides your performance.