Frame your directions from the positive!

The NFL 2020 Week 7 Falcons vs Lions game provided another example of people under pressure giving directions framed in the negative.

After almost 4 quarters of gridiron warfare, the Falcons need to burn clock time, ie. not score and rather just get the next first down. The Quarterback leads his instructions with "Don't score. Don't score. Don't score." The Running Back says "Yeah." and looks away. Then the QB says "Get the first. Get the first. Get down."

Of course, the RB then runs the ball in for a touchdown. And of course, media spends all its time dumping on the RB, when the QB and offensive coordinator are to blame as well.

Framing from the negative increases the chances of failure because people under stress drop the negative. The instructions should have been "Get to yard three and fall down. Yard Three."

Fighting four quarters of fatigue and hits is no easy matter. Likewise, people under stress everywhere need all the help they can get.