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Your Built-In Fear Handling Fuel
Posted by Rich Fettke.
"The professional athlete’s love of an adrenaline spike should almost never be linked to compulsive behavior. Quite the opposite is true. It’s more appropriate to say that taking a risk and succeeding because of their wits and skill feels orgasmic." -Maryann Karinch, Lessons from the Edge
When you are afraid, your body responds with its own form of rocket fuel: adrenaline.
Adrenaline is one of the natural drugs your body releases when you push limits or you are confronted with a challenge. Adrenaline flows through your body, giving you extra awareness, mental clarity and the ability to respond quickly to different situations. Colors are sharper, sounds are clearer. You are more conscious of odors and your body feels energized.
Whether you are jumping out of a plane or setting up a sales presentation with your hottest prospect, if the activity scares you, adrenaline will provide you with the strength you need to succeed. By recognizing how you feel when adrenaline is coursing though your veins, you will become much more skilled at using this ally to your advantage because you are employing it to accomplish a goal.
At the same time you should be aware that adrenaline also kicks in when you are under all kinds of stress, everything from getting caught in traffic to dealing with difficult people. In these types of everyday situations, adrenaline can burn you out because your body doesn’t get a chance to rest and recuperate.
I used to get tense from adrenaline in all kinds of circumstances and now, because I’ve gotten used to the feeling through extreme sports, I can say, "Ah, I know this feeling. It’s adrenaline. I need to be aware of why I’m feeling it. Am I facing a real risk or do I just need to reduce the number of stressful events that I tolerate in my life? Maybe I need to leave a little earlier to avoid traffic or perhaps I should discuss what’s bothering me with a friend."
By learning what adrenaline feels like, you can use it instead of it using you.
ACTION IDEA:
UNDERSTAND HOW FEAR WORKS
Answer the following questions to get a better understanding of how you handle fear.
1. What is the scariest thing you’ve ever done?
2. Why did you do it?
3. What was your fear telling you?
4. What were you focusing on?
5. What could you have focused on to reduce your fear?
6. What did you learn about yourself and your fears?
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Getting Out of the Gray Area
Posted by Rich Fettke.
“You can either take action or you can hang back and hope for a miracle.”
-Peter Drucker
Professional speaker Rosita Perez has a great rhyme that goes, “One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, three to get ready, three to get ready…” Can you relate? It’s such an easy trap to get stuck thinking, “Should I do it now? Maybe. Maybe not.”
The gray area between “yes” and “no,” which clouds your mind with indecision and frustration, is easy to get stuck in. This twilight zone is known as procrastination, an approach that can stifle your progress toward your dreams and goals. When you are stuck in the procrastination pit your energy can get zapped out of you faster than electricity from a California power plant.
The best way to overcome procrastination is to make a simple choice, either yes or no. Proactive as opposed to reactive, choice implies responsibility. You’re either going to discover what is holding you back and act on it or move ahead right now. It’s as straightforward as that.
What task or next step have you been getting ready for? Where have you been procrastinating?
My request for you is to make a choice.
You have three options:
1. Choose "no" and let it go. Simply embrace the fact that you’re never going to do it.
2. Another choice is to decide when you will take action (a specific date) and determine what that action will be. I’d suggest sharing that commitment with someone to help hold you accountable.
3. Choose one step you could take today — even a small step — toward your goal. Then follow through as soon as possible.
Making a choice is powerful. It will stop the procrastination energy drain and provide you with new freedom and motivation to focus on what really matters. What is your choice?
