Whenever you face a confrontational situation in your business or personal life, an area of your brain called the amygdala sounds an immediate warning alarm.
In response to this alarm, your brain’s command center (the hypothalamus) sends signals to your adrenal glands which pump adrenaline into your bloodstream. This flood of adrenaline causes your heart to beat faster, your pulse rate to skyrocket and your muscles to tense in preparation for immediate action.
However, the problem with this automatic “fight or flight” response is that it can often hijack our rational mind and inhibit our ability to think clearly about what is needed in a particular situation. If you ever react to situations “without thinking” by getting very angry or frightened then you know what this is like.
In business and in life, one of the most important skills you can develop is the ability to stay calm in a crisis, and not react emotionally to confronting situations when they arise.
A great example of this is the Apollo astronauts who were rigorously trained to maintain a clear head and control their emotions even when facing life and death situations.
In fact John Glenn, who was the first American to orbit the earth, spent nearly a day in space and maintained his heart rate under a hundred beats per minute – Now that’s self control!
In response to this alarm, your brain’s command center (the hypothalamus) sends signals to your adrenal glands which pump adrenaline into your bloodstream. This flood of adrenaline causes your heart to beat faster, your pulse rate to skyrocket and your muscles to tense in preparation for immediate action.
However, the problem with this automatic “fight or flight” response is that it can often hijack our rational mind and inhibit our ability to think clearly about what is needed in a particular situation. If you ever react to situations “without thinking” by getting very angry or frightened then you know what this is like.
In business and in life, one of the most important skills you can develop is the ability to stay calm in a crisis, and not react emotionally to confronting situations when they arise.
A great example of this is the Apollo astronauts who were rigorously trained to maintain a clear head and control their emotions even when facing life and death situations.
In fact John Glenn, who was the first American to orbit the earth, spent nearly a day in space and maintained his heart rate under a hundred beats per minute – Now that’s self control!
While we will most likely never have to deal with the rigours of space travel, we do encounter confronting situations in our businesses and lives every day.Instead of losing our perspective, and making bad decisions based on fear or anger, it is important to develop the ability to focus on what actually needs to be done.
By being aware of your body’s automatic response to stress, and training yourself to let go of that initial flood of adrenaline induced emotions, you’ll be able to make important business and life decisions based on clear headed analysis.
A great way to practice this powerful mindset is while driving…
When someone cuts you off, you’ll immediately feel your sympathetic nervous system kick in and a flood of adrenaline pump through your body. Instead of responding with anger or fear, practice letting it go, and get back to a clear thinking headspace as quickly as possible.
Over time, you will be able to develop and utilize this clear, focused mindset whenever you encounter a crisis. Instead of responding emotionally with fear or anger, you’ll be able to analyze the situation and immediately take the appropriate action.
Author and Credits: Anthony Fernando