(Principles are basic truths that, when applied, cause success to come to you easier and quicker.)
Adrenaline has its benefits. And its costs.
Great outcomes have been accomplished using the adrenaline tool. It is one of the most popular drugs-of-choice for driven achievers. A source of ready energy, it provides focus, is cheap to acquire, and easy to use. Also, you don’t need to do deals in dark back alleys, you’re your own drug dealer!
Need some? Leave late for an important meeting. Need more? Under-prepare for that meeting. A little more? Fear not getting what you want. Your ability to create the adrenaline you need, when you need it, is huge. But at what cost? Like any stimulant, the use of adrenaline requires a balancing of the scales. Your physical system experiences a crash and needs recovery time. The focusing which adrenaline can provide may act as blinders and cause you to miss available resources. And someone hyped-up on adrenaline attracts similar people. Adrenaline is expensive.
Rather than suggest that you simply give up adrenaline, how about replacing it with healthier forms of energy? Such as passion. Such as clarity of purpose. Look for the joy in situations rather than possible negative consequences.
An often overlooked resource is to pause and revel in your intermediate wins. Adrenaline junkies tend to focus only on the big payoff at the end, but there is plenty of healthy energy available from the incremental victories along the way.
Coaching Point: Who can help you remove the adrenaline needle and move beyond it, permanently?
Copyright 2012 Steve Straus. All rights reserved.
