This TED Talk features cognitive scientist Sion Leah Bylock, recorded live at TEDmed 2017.

One of the most humiliating things that you can say about someone is they choked.

And boy, do I know that feeling.

Growing up, I was an avid athlete. My main sport was soccer,

and I was a goalkeeper, which is both the best and the worst position on the field.

You see, when you're a goalie, you get this special uniform, you get all the glory for a great

shot saved, but you also get the glory for a great shot saved,

but you also get the grief when you land a shot in the goal.

When you're a goalie, all eyes are on you,

and with that comes the pressure.

I distinctly remember one game in high school.

I was playing for the California State Team,

which is part of the Olympic Development Program.

I was having a great game

until I realized that the national coach was standing right behind me.

That's when everything changed.

In a matter of seconds, I went from playing at the top to the bottom of my ability. Just knowing that I was being evaluated changed my performance and forever how I thought

about the mental aspect of how we perform.

All of a sudden, the ball seemed to go in slow motion, and I was fixated on my every move.

The next shot that came, I babbled, but thankfully it didn't land in the goal.

The shot after that, I wasn't so lucky.

I tipped it right into the net. My team lost. The national coach walked away. I choked under the pressure

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