I admit it I watch a lot of ESPN Sportscenter. I love seeing how the best of the best perform under pressure. Yesterday I saw something that reminded me of a key performance principle which is emotional state. The highlight was of a minor league baseball manager arguing with the umpire. He went way beyond just yelling. He threw a base, crawled on the grass, and just made a complete idiot of himself. He had no emotional control. If I was a player on that team I would question my “leader” and his actions. To be at your best one needs to deal with challenges with dignity and courage. What would happen if a high level executive went wild after hearing that last quarter sales were down 10% of projections. That executive would probably lose his or her job and definitely lose respect of his team. Emotions affect performance in so many ways. One, your ability to make decisions will change depending on what emotional state you are in. If you are calm you will see things differently than if  you are frustrated. It is important especially before an important performance to find your best performance state. What emotional state will increase the likelihood of you being at your best? For some it is being calm, while others need to feel energized. Realize that how you respond to your environment is your choice. Start being aware of your emotional state or you may find yourself “losing it” like that manager.