In life, you will face obstacles that can knock you down and get you off the course of success. It happens to everyone. The difference in the outcome, is how you respond. Staying self-assured and keeping your composure when the pressure is on can be a very difficult task, but it is possible if you follow a few disciplines along the way. In this article we will share them with you.
“How to stay poised when the pressure is on!”
Remember, no discipline is ever easy in the moment, but rather it feels painful. Later however, it produces good results. This verse reminds us that we must do the things we don’t really want to do right now to get what we really want in the future. It will not be easy; it will be hard. The good news is discipline begets discipline. So, the more we practice doing the hard things, the easier it will become.
If you are going to stay poised when the pressure is on, you will need to be prepared ahead of time. You can’t wait until the tough times come and believe you will have what it takes to keep your composure and feel assured. The work, the disciplines, must be done in advance.
Let’s look at some disciplines you can follow to help you be prepared so that you can stay poised when the pressure is on.
Save some resources –
One of the worse habits you can acquire is living paycheck to paycheck. The whole keeping up with the Jones’s mentality has gotten many of us in serious financial trouble because we live outside of our means. The best habit you can acquire is to save some resources for when the hard times come. A good rule of thumb is to save at least 10% of your income. If you are already doing so, give yourself a pat on the back. Maybe consider adding just a little more like 5% or so. If you aren’t, don’t beat yourself up just start now. It doesn’t matter how small you start, but just start making it a part of your life discipline to save some resources. It will be nearly impossible to stay poised under pressure if you don’t have the resources to keep you going when you get knocked down.
Make role playing a habit–
This exercise can be a little uncomfortable at first and can feel very awkward, but it is the only way you can assume a role or act out a situation. The idea of role playing is for you to imagine certain situations or outcomes that would be stressful for you and then act out how you will respond to them. Role playing allows you to put yourself in a scenario before it really happens to practice how you will react to it. Role playing is a great exercise to do with your success coach. You can envision things that could come along and knock you down or cause you anxiety, and then role play different ways you could respond that would get you the result you wanted during difficult times.
Journal –
Everyday of your life passes and you have nothing to really prove what happened. Your life is full of experiences, life lessons, and wisdom, but how will you find it. What happened to you last week? Did you have an emotional break through, gain a new insight, or learn something new? Unless you wrote it down so you can go back and reference the moments you lived in history, most of your everyday and seemingly ordinary events are lost. These little tidbits you could hold on to that can have the biggest impact on your success are gone without writing them down. Journaling keeps you connected to nearly all your experiences and ultimately it will improve your insight and understanding of who you are. The best part of journaling is being able to go back and see how you managed hard times in the past and how you got through them to where you are today. Your journal is your life notes, it will help you get through stressful times.
Make your health a priority –
This means body, mind, and spirit. Your health is everything and it really should be your absolute top priority. You can’t do much and especially help anyone if you’re not in a good place physically, mentally, and spiritually. Maybe you think it’s selfish to put yourself first, but it’s not. The truth is, taking care of yourself is the least selfish thing you can do. How are you making yourself a priority? Do you take time to exercise, eat well, and spend time praying or meditating? The hardest part of making these things a regular habit in your life is that usually there’s no real motivation until it’s too late. For example, eating a poor diet doesn’t matter until suddenly you have type II diabetes, or worse a heart attack. The idea behind taking care of yourself is to do things that will prevent any concerns, and do not wait until there is a concern. That’s hard for most people because usually we don’t change unless there is a physical, emotional, or financial pain. Don’t let this be you. Make daily healthy habits a part of your life now, and when the hard times come, you will be so glad you did. Remember, the emotion follows the action.
Staying poised under pressure is a habit that’s built upon over time. You can’t wait until the storm comes and then expect to sail right through. You must be prepared and ready for what may come. To remain poised under pressure has its reward. It helps you move to new heights and advance your skills. Learning how to keep your composure in stressful situations is imperative for you to achieve your goals and dreams.
Article Written By:
Kim Martin, Founder of I’ve Decided, INC.
