Tweet

Fight or Flight: It’s Now Optional

Guest post by: Renita Kalhorn

Article Overview: The Fight or Flight response was an important gauge of threat and a vital survival tool for the cavemen over a million years ago. This primitive instinct is still present in all of us, even though, it doesn’t carry the same function in the 21st century. Through specific steps, we can learn to manage this instinct to our advantage. If managed successfully, the Fight or Flight instinct can become an important tool in overcoming stress and daily pressures.

Fight or Flight: It’s Now Optional

Fight or Flight: It's Now Optional Imagine it's 1 million BC and you're Zog, the caveman. Every day you wake up with one mission: to go out and hunt for food to feed you and your family. At the same time, you have to constantly be on the lookout for the predators that want to eat you.

That primitive, automatic instinct that prepares us to "fight" or "flee" from a perceived attack or threat to our survival came in very handy when we ran into a saber-toothed tiger or member of an enemy tribe.

But now it's the 21st century and -- unless we're on a TV reality show -- most of us don't fight for survival on a daily basis.

Why you need to take your "fight-or-flight" response with a grain of salt

1: Our "fight or flight" instinct doesn't distinguish a genuine threat from an imaginary or perceived threat: That's why the criticism of a colleague in a meeting often elicits the same response as the SUV speeding toward you on the street. Whether or not our lives are truly in danger, we experience the physical effects of being on alert: adrenaline pours into our system, our heart starts pounding, our hands get sweaty and our stomach begins churning.

2. In "fight or flight" mode, we over-react to modern-day stresses: Our thinking becomes distorted and we see everything through the lens of fear (much the way airport security reacts after a terrorist scare, searching every octogenarian with fingernail clippers). In fact, the average city-dweller has over 50 fight-or-flight responses a day!

3. "Fight or flight" is sometimes downright inappropriate: If you get in an argument with a colleague, you can't just start a sparring match there in the conference room. Likewise, when you are voluntarily pushing yourself to extreme physical exertion, you need to over-ride the instinct to flee in order to push through to greater levels of fitness.

As evolved human beings, we're able to choose civilized, rational behavior. Here's how:

Relax and recover. Although the fight or flight response is automatic, recovery is not. Our cavemen ancestors took time to regroup from the saber-toothed tiger attacks and other real dangers they experienced. We have to do the same - make a conscious effort to reduce the negative impact of stress - otherwise it will accumulate and create the risk of disease.

Choose a different response. Once you recognize that you're not in actual danger, you can make a rational choice how to respond: If someone cuts you off in traffic, for example, you can decide not to take it personally and give them the benefit of the doubt.

Go outside your comfort zone. The Navy SEALs are masters at conquering fear. The secret to their courage - in running towards danger rather than away - lies in habituation, the idea that the more you're exposed to something you initially fear, the more you repeat a seemingly difficult action, the less it will affect you and eventually you will no longer have any emotional attachment to that situation, environment or action. (This works whether you're banging down a door with a bad guy on the other side or delivering a speech to a crowd.)

Keep it in perspective. Pressure is a fact of life. But, as Steve Siebold says in 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class, you don't have to perceive it as a threat. If you can see life as a game and not get attached to the outcome, pressure offers a chance to grow.

Related Articles
  STRESS-- A NATURAL RESPONSE?
  I Need to Fly More in India and Korea
  3 Tips for Healthy Change at Work
  Selling to the Old Brain – Three Ways to Increase Sales Results
  How Franchisees Can Gain More Time and Develop Their Employees
  Become a Problem Solver for Your Customers
  Beat Stress With Your Nose
  Stop Workplace Stress In Its Tracks
  Scope of Airline Reservation System
  Who's Got Your Power?
  Life Events That Cause Stress
  What You Need to Start an eZine Publication
  Magic Moments
  What You Need to Start an eZine Publication
  Airline Attitudes
  Keep Your Boarding Pass (Paper or Electronic)!
  Stressed to Excess
  Find out why there isn't any real Definition of Stress!
  Stress and Your Health
  Anger and Stress Increase Risk for Heart Disease: What to Do

Article Tags: control, energy, flow, motivation, optimum performance, peak performance, recovery, resilience, stress



Related Forum Posts
Where do you buy cheap airplane tickets? - When you book a flight for business or vacation, is it better to do it yourself online with the actual airline or do you go through a "discount" agency like FlightCentre.ca, CheapFlights.com, etc? I was at Flight Centre today and while the price looked ok, I was surprised they wanted to add a $50 service charge for booking the flight. As such, I decided to hold off on buying tickets from them for the time being.
Money I made while in School - While in university I did have a Student Loan (still paying that bugger off) and had a part-time job as a Call Center agent (inbound). *Canada* I also designed websites (outsourced all the work). I just worked on getting new customers, managed the projects to completion and helped create Marketing Plans for my clients (Online and Offline). *Canada* When I was studying the in the States I also made some money as a Part-time Flight instructor. *USA*
Re: Matching competitors prices - beware - While I agree that getting into a price war should be avoided if possible... on rare occasions, it's not a bad idea to match someone's price (or even beat it) if you're doing it "one time" to land a new customer. For instance, I was recently looking for the best price on a [u:2rhwa2wg]specific[/u:2rhwa2wg] flight to NY and a customer service rep from Flight Centre ended up taking zero commission to help me book my flight. In fact, she even beat the price by $5 in the hopes of creating brand loyalty for the future.
Re: Matching competitors prices - beware - [quote="BuzzAroundBooks":3ga2u10u]While I agree that getting into a price war should be avoided if possible... on rare occasions, it's not a bad idea to match someone's price (or even beat it) if you're doing it "one time" to land a new customer. For instance, I was recently looking for the best price on a [u:3ga2u10u]specific[/u:3ga2u10u] flight to NY and a customer service rep from Flight Centre ended up taking zero commission to help me book my flight. In fact, she even beat the price by $5 in the hopes of creating brand loyalty for the future.[/quote:3ga2u10u] Matching prices that are close is one thing - but there are times when an inferior competitor can do a job much cheaper - because they are doing a lesser job. There have been times when I'm more expensive, but I'll take the time to explain the reason for the difference. If the person wants a lesser job - then it does not work in my favor to drop my price and take a loss. Customer expectation can make a difference in when this should be done. There is a company who offers work that is somewhat similar to mine, but its just not the same value service and they can undercut my price because they cut a lot of corners. I'm not willing to cut that many corners and that makes a big difference in the amount that we charge. For a person who business who recognizes the difference and some who want to send me business, I'll work with them on the prices or pay them a finder's fee. Lots of possibilities - but I've found it better to evaluate the situation and see if it makes good business sense. Shri
You don't need the new iPhone - [i:3jvapemj]I stole this article from a minimalist site. He has given everyone to steal his posts and use it anywhere at anytime and without giving credit to him.His name is Leo Babauta. So enjoy.[/i:3jvapemj] ................................................................................................................... Many of you have seen the video and reviews of the new iPhone 4S, and yes, it looks great. Don’t rush out to order it. Here’s why: you don’t need it. True, it is sleek and sexy and full of great features like a great camera and personal assistant and a better screen, etc. But you don’t need it today any more than you needed it yesterday, or 5 years ago. Yesterday, without the new iPhone, your life was good. Some of you were happy and content and were actually able to do your work and get on with your life without the new iPhone. Today, Apple announces its newest device, and the press and tech bloggers swoon. We all have to get the latest device, or we’ll no longer be hip, we’ll no longer be part of the “in” crowd. And yet, is it really that essential? I’ve wanted an iPhone for almost 5 years now, but haven’t bought one because I know I don’t need it. Will it make my life a bit more fun? Sure, possibly — but so will a walk in the park with my kids, or a hike with a friend, or a free book at the library. I don’t need to spend $199 plus thousands of dollars on a 2-year contract to make my life a bit more fun. Five years ago, the iPhone didn’t exist. It wasn’t a need in your life. You were able to live perfectly without it. And now that it does exist, all of that is true. It’s Apple’s marketing that has worked on us, and we’re fools for it. The same, of course, is true of all other technology and sleek consumerist products. It’s just that Apple is better at it than most. Don’t give in. Fight the marketing, by noticing and letting go of the urges that marketing creates in us. Find contentment without products. You’re better than that.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Coaching Tip: Identify Your Core Values

BUILDING A HIGH PERFORMING TEAM

Sales Courage and Resilience

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.