Experience is the DNA of life.

Pressure is the ultimate and truest mirror in the world. Beyond appearance it exposes who we are, what we value, what we will sacrifice and how we behave in both defeat in victory.

Pressure condenses all previous experiences into actions. If all you know how to do is scream and throw a fit, that's what you do. If all you know how to do is quit and cry, that's what you do. Shoot first and ask questions later types, go for their guns. Paralysis through analysis types get out the legal pads and start planning.

When unreleased it can cause various pains, such as headaches, stomach aches, ulcers or breathing problems such as asthma or allergies or even as cancer, or heart problems.

Many manage to keep the cap on for many years so that they do not have to deal with the unpleasantness of facing and working with pressure. Some keep the cap on through overeating, others by drinking or taking tranquilizers or other drugs. Others by watching television, or going regularly to the movies, reading one book after the other, smoking one Marlboro after the other, or by never ever being alone or by working continuously and not ever leaving free time to look inward.

The cosmetic industry “corrects" how we should look. The psychology industry "corrects" how we should feel.  A better answer comes from Sherwood Schwartz's second greatest work, The Brady Bunch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCKCgXgh55w

Peter is having a personality problem and feels everyone hates them. So he adopts Humphrey Bogart's personality. (Everyone knows a short tough guy is instantly respected.)   At the end of the episode, Mr. Brady explains you can only be what you can be.

If pressure is going to illuminate all you can do and all you can't; then it is good. It shows which part of our lives we need to work on; the parts where our reach exceeds our grasp and the parts we need improve before we go to the next level.

When surrounded by a loving family and friends that are not too jerky… Pressure is a source of celebration and bonding. Success is wonderful. Failure is humiliating. Life is filled with both experiences. Embrace the former and learn from the latter, enjoy your life by accepting the perfect opportunities to display what you can do. Pressure players, make the big bucks and are generally referred to as heroes.

In the end, it is what you try more than how you die; that defines who you were.   Yikes, that almost sounds Brady-esque.