I am going to tell you a story, which as we know is one of the best ways to learn. In fact all the greatest orators have been great story tellers.
Now I am not implying that I am a great orator. I like to think more of myself as someone who is good at making mistakes and then not being too embarrassed to tell others about what a complete and utter dill I was at the time. Here is one of those stories where I was a bit of a dill, or what psychologists like to call the power of ‘group-think’ (not quite the same result as a ‘think tank’ or ‘mastermind group’). It all started when…
It all started at 11:30pm on 16th of August, 1969 on a pleasantly cool north Queensland night…
Sorry. I will spare you the 27 years of antics that lead us to the current story. It was 1996. I had managed to convince the Australian Army that I needed a year off (to travel the world) and that I would be diligently returning when my travels were done (and to think I tell myself that I am no good at sales pitches). So here I was in March 1996, over in Lake Louise, Canada; getting ready for a kick-arse ski adventure. I had friends whom I could stay with, free lift tickets, half-priced ski gear and I was ready to rock and roll on the slopes. Actually there turned out to be a lot more of the ‘rolling’, than ‘rocking’ taking place on the slopes. My one cross country skiing trip back in 1992 hardly marked me as an expert skier (actually not even average).
We were in a group. This is the bit where my health goes downhill. Sorry about the pun! Here I was; up the top of a big mountain. I barely knew how to ski. We had rushed through setting our ski gear up. I definitely was very rusty at the stopping bit. And there was a group of young lads full to bursting with testosterone. Can anyone see anything wrong with this picture? I am sure there are a few Risk Management experts reading this…so what would you say is the likelihood of a catastrophe?
We start to move down the huge mountain. I am tentatively trying to figure out the skiing thing to a constant and incessant barrage from the group to “Hurry up!”. So I go a little bit faster. And then a little bit faster. And then a little bit faster. And then a lot faster, off the side of the main track, and into a tangle of legs, arms and ski’s. Accompanied by a loud crunching sound, a flash of pain through my left knee, and the start of my journey to a knee reconstruction. Ouch x 100!!
It wasn’t until several years later, as I was doing an NLP Course in the USA, that I truly got the lesson and it is this lesson I want to pass on to you.
“SLOW DOWN OR STOP BEFORE YOU LOSE CONTROL.”
This could save you a relationship. It could save you your health. It could save you an operation. It could save you a major regret. It could save you months of emotional pain. It could even save you your life.
So my real point for you. All joking aside. Is that it is really important to slow down or seek help before you lose control of your health, your relationship, your happiness or your finances. Don’t wait until things are desperate before you decide to act. For me now the orange warning light comes on when things are 7/10. Then at 8/10 the red light and buzzer starts. At 9/10 the buzzer becomes an alarm. And 10/10 is a place I don’t go to. I am also very happy to reach out for help these days too.
If you need to see a therapist, do it. Maybe you need a Coach to help you get perspective, clarity and new strategies. A nutritionist or naturopath to get your diet figured out. A personal trainer to help you lose body fat and add lean muscle. A financial advisor to help get to grips on your finances. A business advisor to help you get the business back on track.
The big thing in all of this is to deal with something before it gets out of control or becomes a disaster. And I am pretty sure that you get it, so I will call it a wrap here and bid you farewell.
Have a fantastic day!
Cheers,
Carl
PS: To download a great strategy for managing stress, click on the link: The Consciousness Strategy