Power of silence in negotiation example: Messi video

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Pausing won’t just help political candidates. It has helped one of the world’s greatest footballers, Lionel Messi.

Pausing is one counterintuitive thing Lionel Messi does that makes him great. Unlike his peers, Messi spends the first three minutes of a match doing nothing. He doesn’t sprint, tackle, or pass; he strolls around the pitch.

But why?


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Adam Alter shared the reason while chatting with me on a recent episode of Nudge.

He explained that Messi struggled as a youngster. He was extremely anxious when he first set foot on the pitch. Often, he was physically sick as the game started and had to leave the field to recover. His anxiety made it impossible for Messi to play to the best of his ability.

Maradona famously said Messi would never succeed because he’s too anxious and too nervous.

It seemed like Messi was destined for a career of missed belgium whatsapp number database opportunities until one Barcelona youth coach gave him some advice.

He told him to pause at the start of the game, not feel pressure to run or tackle, and not start playing the game until minute three. Just amble around, take in your surroundings, watch the opponents, and calm yourself down.

Pausing worked. Rather than frantically starting the game like every other player, Messi took the time to settle his nerves. And this inaction became a surprising advantage.