The Stress Test: How Pressure Can Make You Stronger and Sharper by Ian Robertson

From a world-respected neuroscientist, an eye-opening study of why we react to pressure in the way we do and how to be energized rather than defeated by stress.

Why is it that some people shine brilliantly at public speaking while others stumble with their words and seem on the verge of an anxiety attack even speaking up in a department meeting? Why do some of us sink into all-consuming depression when life has dealt us a poor hand, while in others it increases their resilience?

The difference between experiencing too much pressure and too little can result in either debilitating stress or lack of motivation in extreme situations. However, the right level of challenge and stress can help people flourish and achieve more than they ever thought possible. In The Stress Test, clinical psychologist and cognitive neuroscientist Ian Robertson, armed with over four decades of research, reveals how we can control our brain's response to pressure and turn stress into a good thing. The Stress Test is a revelatory study of how and why we react to pressure as we do, and how we can change our response to stress to our benefit.