Who Survives the Tough Times?
Crisis has a way of separating genuine players from the pretenders. As they say in financial circles “when the tide goes out, you can see who has been swimming naked.” So who thrives during periods of upheaval and uncertainty? What are the personality characteristics that predict resilience?
As humans, we are designed to be balanced beings. We are part physical, part cerebral, part emotional, and part spiritual. Individuals that are lacking in one of these areas are incomplete units. They are like a car setting out on a long and perilous journey while missing a key mechanical component.
During periods of normality, when the road is flat and straight, weak and compromised cars are almost indistinguishable from the serious machines. But when the path gets rocky, they cough, splutter and fall by the wayside.
For the physically compromised the coronavirus is a very scary thing as it culls the immune-deficient like a grim reaper. Pre-existing conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and poor general health may just be the difference between fighting off a silent killer and surviving. Not just this silent killer, there is a flu outbreak every year that kills hundreds of thousands worldwide.
Those who are physically fit, in control of their energy levels, have a healthy BMI, a strong heart, and strong lungs are much better placed to survive this pandemic. Health is a lifelong investment, and huge numbers of individuals have not been paying their premiums.
Being locked indoors for months on end is a test of any mental fortitude. Tough guys go crazy in prison. Solitary confinement is considered a form of torture. So how are you coping with the present situation? Are you mentally sharp and focussed, or have you curled into a ball of boredom and anxiety? Now is the time for self-reflection.
For making bold plans for the future. For revising life choices and strategies. What is working? What are the bad habits holding you back? What is required to elevate your game to the next level? Now is the time to answer the tough questions.
Many individuals draw their emotional stability from others. They hate being alone. The sound of their inner voice unsettles them. They need constant chatter or else sadness takes hold. Their emotions tend toward the negative. Glasses are half full. The world is a scary place. They surround themselves with other emotionally weak people and prop each other up. Isolation is going poorly for such individuals. They need to flatten their emotions, eradicate the swinging highs and lows. They need to find a zone.
Humans are also spiritual beings. Meaning and purpose give our lives direction and stability. We need to be constantly striving toward a meaningful goal. Those who work unfulfilling jobs for companies they hate find their spirits drained. Spirits may be enriched by interacting with nature, swimming in the ocean, performing intense physical exercise, meditating, travelling and other new experiences, collaborating with like-minded individuals, and winning.
The winning feeling of accomplishment is a drug that fills us up. If your spirit is weak and easily defeated, you are a handicapped runner. You need to find the activity that makes you feel alive, important, and irresistible.
Trials and tribulations are life’s way of separating the weak from the strong. Those lacking balance across the facets of our make-up are bound to struggle when times get tough. A muscled powerlifter who can’t bear to be alone is not a balanced person. A mathematical genius who can’t do five push-ups is similarly unbalanced. A person who lives purely for the pursuit of short-term pleasure is not equipped to deal with hard times. Those that live clinging to an emotional rollercoaster do not have the fortitude to cope with stressful situations.
Strive for balance. Work on your weaknesses, now, while you have the chance.
The Team at A Man’s Guide