Healthy trees flex, flow, and bend in the wind. Feeble trees fracture, break, and snap in storms.
A timber’s capacity to withstand force displays its resiliency. What about us? How do we act amidst adversity? How do we handle stress?
Several years ago, I spoke with one of the lead physical therapists of the Premier Lacrosse League, who also worked at The Steadman Clinic, a world-renowned sports medicine and research institute. She explained, “Injuries only occur for one of two reasons: (1) asymmetry and or (2) capacity versus load.” When one side of the body is weaker than the other, we bio-mechanically overcompensate. This compounds into tremendous, repeated stress for one or more regions of our frame. In turn, muscles will strain…bones will break. The second reason, capacity versus load, refers to an individual’s ability to put up with and endure force. “The most athletic and the least athletic athletes on a team,” she continued, “are the ones most likely to tear their ACLs, for example.” “Why is that?” I asked. “Because the most athletic individual generates an enormous amount of force when he or she sprints, stops, and pivots; whereas the least athletic individual does not possess the capacity to withstand moderate amounts of load on a joint, tendon, or ligament.”
My takeaway: in our preparation and training, we must seek alignment, balance, and resiliency throughout our minds, bodies, and spirits.
Identify imbalances.
Aim for alignment.
Cultivate capacity.
Beyond what’s physical, adaptability of our minds matters most. Why? Because there are few anecdotes more prevalent than untapped potential, unrealized talent, and unopened gifts due to excuses.
Mental resiliency is how quickly we shift from feelings to focus.
When a good event happens, we become saturated with feelings of happiness, contentment, or satisfaction. When a bad event occurs, we are flooded with feelings of sadness, frustration, or anger. It’s never about not feeling those emotions; it’s about how long we choose to bask in those emotions.
Have we ever hit traffic on the way to work, and then carried that frustration into our first meeting?
Have we ever outscored an opponent in one half of a game, and then carried that jubilation into the third quarter expecting our mere happiness to dictate upcoming plays?
Have we ever experienced a traumatic event as a child or a teenager, and then carried the weight of that wound into our adult lives, sabotaging future chances of atonement, relationship, or success?
The only reason we may have fear today is because we have a memory.
When something in our present moment re-minds us of a painful time in our past, we re-act. The “re” prefixes of these words refers to something that has happened that we perceive to be happening again. We are not our pasts, however, we are what we consistently do now and next. In many ways, our past can be a burdened backpack; and if that’s the case, are we willing to put weight down so our hearts and minds can become lighter, more relaxed, and free?
Our brains love to answer, “What’s the plan?” Our brains crave certainty through strategic action. Our brains, which hold us back or galvanize our bodies forward, release the brakes [of prediction and protection] when infused with one entity: CLARITY.
Clarity is the opposite of complexity. Clarity is clear, not clouded with emotion. Clarity derives from present-moment focus.
What’s next? Do that.
What’s controllable? Do that.
What’s possible right now? Do that.
The essence of mental resiliency, toughness, and fortitude is action. When a house is on fire [with emotion], we could stay still and get burnt, or move. When a house is flooded [with emotion], we could stay still and drown, or move. When a house goes dark due to a power outage [from too much emotion], we could stay still and blind, or move.
When we move our bodies, we move our minds.
Carve out ~30 minutes of uninterrupted time to write. Think of specific fears, traumatic experiences, and long-carried wounds from the past that might be showing up in your present days, blocking you from courageous action and excellence at work.
What are those fears?
Why are they still heavy on your heart?
How could you release them to create space for new, lighter, more beautiful relationships now and going forward?
Finish this assignment in a one-line, believable and truthful affirmation such as: “I deserve ____ & ____ because I am ____, ____, & ____!” Place that line on your refrigerator door, mirror in the bathroom, or bedside table so it stays top of mind. Remind. Remind. Remind.
Mental resilience was on full display during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. In gymnastics, a member of the “Magnificent Seven” named Kerri Strug needed to perform well on vault to secure a gold medal for Team USA. On her first attempt, she under-rotated and tore two ligaments in her ankle. Limping back to the runway for her second attempt, millions of people could see a grimace on her face and tears well up in her eyes. Kerri pulled her shoulders up to her ears and let them drop. She took several deep breaths. She whispered a few words to herself. Then she sprinted, launched herself through the air, flipped, twirled, and stuck her landing with almost perfect form. After holding her final pose for a few seconds, she collapsed in pain and had her coach carry her to the podium. Amidst agony, Kerri received a gold medal around her neck. This event is still one of the most iconic moments in Olympic history!
Let us embrace and express emotions rather than suppress or depress them.
Let us celebrate, congratulate, or console before concentrating once again.
Let us feel our feelings fully until they no longer need to be felt.
Like an archer: release then refocus.
Like a volcano: explode then reload.
Like a healthy tree: bend then flex back.
“THE GREAT ONES ADAPT.” - Boyd Epley, pioneer of Strength & Conditioning in America
— MG