How Meditation Helps Performance Under Pressure: Lessons from the US Open

19 June

How Meditation May Improve Focus, Resilience, and Performance

Recently, while listening to the commentary from the US Open golf tournament, I noticed something interesting.

The commentators weren't only discussing swing mechanics, putting statistics, and course conditions. They were also talking about meditation.

Several players were described as using meditation, mindfulness, breathing techniques, or other forms of mental training as part of their preparation for competition. It struck me that at one of the most demanding sporting events in the world, the conversation wasn't only about physical performance—it was also about the mind.

And perhaps that's not surprising. Whether you're standing over a crucial putt at the US Open, delivering an important presentation, preparing for an exam, leading a team, or navigating a difficult conversation, the challenge is often the same:

How do we remain calm, focused, and effective when the pressure is on? Modern neuroscience is beginning to explain why meditation may help.

Why Pressure Changes the Brain

Pressure activates some of the brain's oldest survival systems.

When we perceive challenge, uncertainty, or threat, the amygdala—the brain's alarm centre—helps initiate the stress response. Heart rate increases, stress hormones rise, and attention narrows toward whatever appears most important in the moment.

This response evolved to keep us alive.

The problem is that the same response can become activated during modern situations such as:

Sporting competitions
Public speaking
Exams
Difficult conversations
Job interviews
High-stakes work decisions

When stress becomes excessive, activity within the prefrontal cortex—the area responsible for planning, attention, decision-making, and emotional regulation—can become less efficient.

Many people recognise this experience. You know what to do. You have prepared. You have practiced. Yet under pressure your thinking suddenly feels less clear. The challenge isn't usually a lack of knowledge. It's often a nervous system operating under strain.

Performance Requires More Than Skill

One of the fascinating aspects of golf is that success isn't determined by skill alone. Elite golfers have exceptional technical ability.

What often separates players over the demanding rounds is their ability to repeatedly recover their focus.

A missed putt.
A poor drive.
An unlucky bounce.
A difficult lie.

Each moment presents an opportunity to become distracted by frustration, worry, or self-criticism. Or to reset. The ability to continually return attention to the present moment may be one of the most important performance skills of all.

The Neuroscience of Meditation

Meditation is often associated with relaxation, but neuroscience research suggests its effects may extend well beyond simply feeling calm.

Studies have found that regular meditation practice may be associated with:

Reduced physiological stress responses
Improved attention regulation
Enhanced emotional resilience
Greater self-awareness
Changes in brain regions involved in self-regulation
Reduced amygdala reactivity over time

Research also suggests meditation may influence activity within the brain's Default Mode Network, a network associated with mind wandering, self-referential thinking, and rumination. When this network becomes overactive, people often experience increased mental chatter, worry, and distraction.

Learning to recognise when attention has drifted, and gently returning it, appears to be one of the key skills developed through meditation practice.

Meditation and Mental Endurance

One aspect of performance that receives less attention is endurance.

The US Open is not a ten-minute event. It is a multi-day test of concentration, emotional regulation, patience, and sustained attention.

The same principle applies in everyday life. Many of us aren't struggling with a lack of ability. We're struggling with cognitive fatigue.

By the end of a demanding day, attention becomes harder to sustain. Decisions feel more difficult. Emotional reactions become stronger. Mental resilience begins to fade. Researchers have suggested that meditation may help improve sustained attention and reduce mental fatigue. Some studies have also reported improvements in endurance performance and exercise tolerance, potentially through changes in attention, perceived effort, and stress regulation.

In practical terms, meditation may not simply help people feel calmer—it may help them maintain effective performance for longer.

For athletes, that may mean remaining focused during the final stages of competition. For professionals, it may mean maintaining clarity during a long day of meetings. For students, it may mean sustaining concentration during study and examinations. In each case, endurance is as much mental as it is physical.

Why Vedic Meditation May Help

At DharmiCalm, we teach Vedic Meditation, a simple technique practiced for around twenty minutes twice daily while sitting comfortably with the eyes closed. Unlike concentration-based approaches, Vedic Meditation allows the mind to settle naturally into quieter states of awareness.

Research suggests that during meditation, the body may enter a deeply restful state while remaining alert. Over time, this deep rest may help reduce accumulated stress and support nervous system recovery.

Many students initially come to learn meditation in Adelaide because they feel overwhelmed, stressed, or mentally exhausted. What often surprises them is that alongside greater calm, they frequently report improvements in focus, resilience, creativity, and decision-making. These are qualities that become particularly valuable during periods of pressure.

Performance Isn't Just for Athletes

When we hear the word performance, it's easy to think of elite sport. But performance is something we all engage in every day.

Performance might mean:

Being fully present with family
Managing a busy workload
Studying effectively
Leading a team
Making thoughtful decisions
Remaining calm during conflict

Whether you're a coporate professional in Adelaide, a healthcare professional, a support worker, a university student, a parent, or a business owner, the ability to regulate stress while maintaining focus can make a meaningful difference.

The brain performs best when it is challenged, but not overwhelmed. Meditation may help create that balance.

Training the Mind

One reason I enjoy watching events like the US Open is that they remind us that excellence is rarely accidental. Behind every great performance sits consistent practice. Athletes train their bodies. Musicians train their technique. Professionals develop expertise.

Meditation can be viewed in much the same way. It is a form of mental training. Not because it eliminates pressure, but because it may help us respond to pressure more effectively.

Over time, that ability to return to calm, clarity, and focus can become one of our most valuable skills.

Final Thoughts

Pressure is a part of life. We cannot remove it completely. But we can change the way we respond to it.

Whether it's a golfer standing over a championship-winning putt, a student sitting an exam, or someone navigating the demands of modern life, the ability to remain calm, focused, and resilient matters.

The growing conversation around meditation in elite sport suggests that many high performers recognise this. Meditation may not guarantee success. But it may help create the internal conditions that allow us to access our best thinking when it matters most.

If you're interested in learning Vedic Meditation in Adelaide and discovering how meditation may support focus, resilience, wellbeing, and performance, we'd love to hear from you through our Contact Us page.

References

Hölzel, B.K., Carmody, J., Vangel, M., et al. (2011). Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 191(1), 36–43.

Tang, Y.Y., Hölzel, B.K., & Posner, M.I. (2015). The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 16, 213–225.

Taren, A.A., Creswell, J.D., & Gianaros, P.J. (2015). Mindfulness meditation training alters stress-related amygdala resting state functional connectivity. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 10(12), 1758–1768.

Baltzell, A., & Summers, J. (2017). The Power of Mindfulness: Mindfulness Meditation Training in Sport.

Goleman, D., & Davidson, R. (2017). Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body.

About the Author

Cherie Foran teaches Vedic Meditation through DharmiCalm in Adelaide and holds a Graduate Certificate in Neuroscience from the University of New England. She is passionate about translating neuroscience research into practical tools that help people reduce stress, improve wellbeing, and live with greater clarity and calm.

Cherie Foran