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The “ugly zone” is the area outside our comfort zone where improvement happens. Because young people aren’t preoccupied with the stigma around failure, says Dave. “They are prepared to commit themselves in this ugly zone and take the frustration with a smile.”

As adults we will stay in our comfort zone, “and that's why so many people don't realise their potential,” he says. You might be comfortable doing ten press-ups, but doing the same every morning will get you nowhere. Tomorrow, push yourself to do 12 instead and – when that becomes easy – up the number again. Because the ugly zone is where we see results, we need to rediscover a childlike enthusiasm and embrace it, he says.

3. Focus on being better than you were before

Children are also better at focusing on self-improvement, says Dave. Rather than comparing themselves to others they ask, “Am I better than I was yesterday?”

Ask, “Where is your self now? Where's your benchmark?” Once you’ve established that you know how to move forward. “You can always get better than you were yesterday. It was Aristotle who said, ‘man who competes with fellow man is noble. But true nobility is man who competes with his previous self.’”

4. Focus on the process, not the outcome

One of the big principles about performing under pressure, is to concentrate on process, says Dave: “If you focus on the process, the outcome looks after itself. If, however, your worry about whether or not you'll achieve the outcome, it detracts you from the very process of doing it, and that's where you fall down.”

Someone who needs help with their fitness might say they can only run for 10 minutes. Dave advises them to focus in on something other than outcome, like how many breaths they’re taking or how many lampposts they’re passing – and they’re soon beating their personal best.

5. Prioritise your posture

When golfers hit a good shot, they tend to walk with their head up. If they hit a ball badly, their shoulders can fall and they tense up – which then puts them in the wrong state for the next shot. “When anything happens in your life where it doesn't match your intention, the next event is the most important,” says Dave. And getting your posture right is crucial.

If you’ve got a difficult phone call to make, get on your feet. “If you stand up, you're likely to be in a better postural position. You're in control and that comes through in your voice and your demeanour." If you're sitting down, with your shoulders rounded and your elbows on the desk, “already there's a sort of subservient attitude to the situation.”

Posture can even change the way you view a challenge. “If you curl up and you look at the problem, chances are you’re looking up to the problem and the problem’s quite big. If you stand up, you’re looking down on the problem, and the problem is usually smaller than you.”

When you’re giving a presentation or speech keep your head upright, says Dave. Taking control and resetting your posture enables you to pace how you’re talking to your audience. “You’re controlling your body which in turn is controlling you.”

Another tip is to move around. At a Rolling Stones concert, Mick Jagger commands the stage. “Whether he's jumping and dancing or whatever, he owns the place.” So, channel your inner Mick Jagger. “Walking around and moving gives you pauses and control,” says the performance coach, whereas standing still will leave you “wooden”. No matter how good the content of a speech, if you don’t sell it physically, people won’t engage.

7. “Repair, train and match”

This is a process that can be applied in any pressurised situation, says Dave.

• 7.1 Repair First, look at technique. This might be correcting errors in your writing, or working on your golf swing. If you’re dreading delivering a best man’s speech then practise it in the mirror, making a mark on the glass where your mouth should be so you don’t hang your head.
• 7.2 Train “Then we go into training, and that’s the repetition,” says Dave. Read the first paragraph of your speech every night, with the correct posture, so you become comfortable.
• 7.3 Match practice This is preparing for the real deal. It’s doing the speech in front of a couple of friends, under simulated “match” conditions, and getting their feedback.

If you follow these steps, “then hopefully on the day you say, ‘Right, I’ve worked at it, I can do this.’”

8. Fight against “sensory shutdown”

When we’re anxious and under pressure, our field of vision narrows, so we need to try and avoid this “sensory shutdown,” says the performance coach.

A fighter pilot’s head is never still. “They’re always taking in what’s around them.” But, when pressure is high, they tend to close down. On top of this, when our adrenaline is up, our peripheral vision narrows. For this reason, a fighter pilot will repeat the mantra: “navigate, communicate, administrate.” This reminds them to look around, constantly communicate (even if just to themselves) and keep looking at their instruments.

“Continually looking round and seeing all the time,” is something we all need to do, says Dave. A salesperson, for example, needs to see the bigger picture – how the company operates and what the brand is doing – as well as noticing how they fit in to the business, what their own posture’s like, and how they’re managing rapport with their customers.

The key to avoiding sensory shutdown is “constantly widening your vision,” Dave concludes. “And it's deliberate practice that helps you do it.”