--- title: "The pressure you get, see it as a gift - Fairbanks" description: "Embrace that expectation as a huge compliment and enjoy the fact that you have already demonstrated your worth." url: "https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/see-pressure-as-a-gift/" language: "en" --- Blog # The pressure you get, see it as a gift April 1, 2025 Author: Bo Kramer Share this post We all know performance pressure. It’s not just in the world of elite sports that the pressure to succeed is incredibly high. In 2025, societal pressure, in general, is immense. Working, managing a household, earning money, spending money, building a social life, staying healthy… I could go on. In my previous column, I already wrote: sometimes, 24 hours in a day just isn’t enough. Stressing about the pressure you feel or the fear of failure is, therefore, a complete waste of time. Now, it’s easy for me to say this, because if there’s anyone afraid of failing, it’s me. However, I have a tip. Just before the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, I was watching a documentary about top coaches from various disciplines. One of them was an NBA coach who told his players the following story: “The pressure you experience, see it as a gift. You only receive it when you’ve earned it.” Let that sink in for a moment… **The pressure you experience, see it as a gift. You only receive it when you’ve earned it**. If people expect something from you, it’s because you have already proven that you are capable of it. For me, this meant that if others believed we could win gold in Tokyo, why shouldn’t we believe it ourselves? Embrace that expectation as a huge compliment and enjoy the fact that you have already demonstrated your worth. I believe this applies outside of elite sports as well. When was the last time you felt pressure? Could it be that you felt it because you had already proven you were capable? That doesn’t take away from the fact that pressure can still be (too) high or that expectations can sometimes feel overwhelming. However, I am convinced that if you start seeing pressure as a gift, the weight of that pressure or expectation will naturally become a little lighter. And that small difference can be crucial, it can be the difference between too high and just high enough. In sports, it can be the difference between collapsing under pressure or thriving under it. In elite sports, it can be the difference between silver and gold. This insight has helped me tremendously over the past few years, and I hope it will do the same for you from now on. ![Michiel](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/media/uploads/2025/06/Michiel.jpeg?width=500 "Michiel") ## Want to know more about open source private cloud Let’s talk with Michiel Manten [Let's talk](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/contact/?subject=The%20pressure%20you%20get,%20see%20it%20as%20a%20gift) Insights & resources ## Latest blogs & news [Insights & resources](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/insights-resources/) [KeynoteSustainable private cloud: how to balance energy, performance and business impact![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)Sustainable private cloud: how to balance energy, performance and business impactEvent](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/sustainable-private-cloud/) [BlogOpenStack Hibiscus is here: What’s new in the latest release![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)October 20, 2026OpenStack Hibiscus is here: What’s new in the latest releaseTechnology](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/openstack-hibiscus-is-here-whats-new-in-the-latest-release/) [KeynoteHow Kubernetes and Talos make OpenStack easier to upgrade, manage and scale![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)How Kubernetes and Talos make OpenStack easier to upgrade, manage and scaleEvent](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/how-kubernetes-and-talos-make-openstack-easier-to-upgrade-manage-and-scale/) [KeynoteFrom infrastructure complexity to cloud control: how to orchestrate your datacenter with software![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)From infrastructure complexity to cloud control: how to orchestrate your datacenter with softwareEvent](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/from-infrastructure-complexity-to-cloud-control-how-to-orchestrate-your-datacenter-with-software/) [BlogDigital autonomy: looking beyond the cloud![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)September 9, 2026Digital autonomy: looking beyond the cloudTechnology](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/digital-autonomy-looking-beyond-the-cloud/) [BlogUpgrading OpenStack: why containerization and Kubernetes are the answer![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)August 26, 2026Upgrading OpenStack: why containerization and Kubernetes are the answerTechnology](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/upgrading-openstack-containerization-kubernetes/) [BlogCloud infrastructure migration: what are your options and where do you start?![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)July 24, 2026Cloud infrastructure migration: what are your options and where do you start?Technology](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/cloud-infrastructure-migration-what-are-your-options-and-where-do-you-start/) [BlogFairbanks named as a representative vendor in the 2026 Gartner® Market Guide![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)July 21, 2026Fairbanks named as a representative vendor in the 2026 Gartner® Market Guide for cloud infrastructure sovereign solutionsTechnology](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/fairbanks-named-as-a-representative-vendor-in-the-2026-gartner-market-guide-for-cloud-infrastructure-sovereign-solutions/) [BlogMutable vs. immutable infrastructure![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)June 18, 2026Mutable vs. immutable infrastructure: What it means for your datacenterTechnology](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/mutable-vs-immutable-infrastructure-what-it-means-for-your-datacenter/) [BlogPress release![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)June 10, 2026Press releaseEvent](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/press-release/) Newsletter