Some people tell me that they do their best work under pressure.  I believe them because I observe that’s the only work they do.  For them, without major distress, nothing gets done.

The Yerkes-Dodson Curve plots the relationship between the amount of stress or motivational energy called "arousal” you have as related to how well you perform at a given task.  People with low levels of arousal don’t perform particularly well on the job.  As the level of arousal increases, performance tends to increase – to a point.  When arousal gets too high, performance begins to decline.  Essentially, when the arousal level is too high you have too much energy, and you can’t focus.  You flit from task-to-task without being able to concentrate.

The Yerkes-Dodson Curve is not the same for everyone.  Each person has a "sweet spot” on the Curve.  Some people are near their sweet spot most of the time and get work done.  Others are low-arousal folks that seem to need a small thermonuclear device detonated under their feet before they can focus on getting anything accomplished.

Solution?  Find your own sweet spot of stress on the Curve.  How much stress get’s you going.  How much stress keeps you going?  How much puts you over the top?  What level is just right and puts you in the Goldilocks Zone?  Use that as your self-motivator.