There are so many myths in business and life in general, and some of them are extremely believable. Some of them seem so true that it makes it difficult to decide what information you should trust. One thing that has quite a few myths about it is the ways someone can activate resilience.  A resilient individual is someone who is able to bounce back and maintain a positive outlook when faced with challenges.
Myth #1 Pressure is Beneficial in Completing Projects
One of the biggest myths is that some people work the best under pressure. Yes, you might be able to get a lot done in a short amount of time when there is a deadline, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be your best piece of work. The reason for a decrease in effectiveness when someone is under pressure is because the flight, fight, or freeze reaction you experience triggers a suspension of certain kinds of thinking like rational, logical, and critical thinking.Â
In order to resolve this way of thinking, you need to be aware of your autopilot decision making. 95% of the choices we make are reactive based off of what is most urgent instead of what is most important. So acknowledging that we automatically tell ourselves we work best under pressure in order to feel better about procrastination is a helpful first step in breaking the pattern.
Myth #2 There’s No Such Thing as Being Too Prepared
When people are stressed out, they tend to try to get ahead of themselves, so they can have more time to relax later on.Â
The thing is… that time never comes. They are constantly in a state of always being prepared and working harder to stay ahead which only increases stress and puts them under a lot of pressure. Not only can this lead to exhaustion, but it can also lead to fatigue and burnout.
A way around this constant circle of overwork is to take a step back and reflect. Looking over your skills, what you have done, what can wait, and where you need time for yourself can help you get out of your own head. It’s one way to look at everything from another perspective and organize yourself and your mind to keep it from going into overdrive.
Myth #3 Thinking Too Much Isn’t a Problem
There is something called analysis paralysis where you get so caught up in the process or project and overthink everything so much that you stop yourself from completing anything. Unfortunately, overthinking is not a good strategy. It will only lead you to worry and put you under unnecessary pressure which can then lead to the inability to focus, think clearly, and make decisions. Constantly, thinking about your thinking will also cause decision fatigue leaving you in a constant state of thinking with no way of moving forward to the next step.
One simple way to solve overthinking is to focus on solutions not problems or consequences. Looking at the solution and answer for step one and moving onto the next will help keep things moving forward. You can always go back and analyze more later and review what you have completed, but at least you are making progress and not allowing yourself to become stuck.
If you enjoyed this post and want to learn more, reach out to us for a strategy session and check out our Resilience Training program.
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