Mikel Arteta tells me he is not a fan of the word pressure, an external force that may make leaders freeze. He prefers to talk about expectation, desire, and fulfilling tasks. “It’s about putting a lot of focus on leading yourself,” he says. “And making very clear who you want to be, what you want to accomplish in life, what is your purpose, what drives you, what is your passion, and then making sure that you create your ecosystem around you to achieve.”
Arsenal, the English Premier League champions he manages, used to be the “bridesmaid club”, missing out again and again in the battle for the most lucrative title in world soccer. They were “chokers” who did not have what it takes to be truly elite.
