Fight, Flight or Freeze, Three Steps that Guarantee Excellence!
Fight, Flight or Freeze, Three Steps that Guarantee Excellence!
Neural scientists tell us that we have a “triunal” brain. We share functions with the reptiles, mammals and primates. All living animals have a reptilian brain. This is the part of the brain that controls heart rate, breathing, the autonomic nervous system. There is no language that influences this part of the brain. That is a function of the outer cortex.
If a lion steals food right out of the mouth of an alligator the alligator doesn’t go away angry and making a vow of revenge. It just follows it’s instincts and continues its search for food.
As life evolved it developed a more advanced part of the brain called the limbic system. The brain grows from the inside out and bottom to top. So in the evolutionary adaptation the next part of the brain to develop is what humans share with all mammals, mice, rats, other rodents, the limbic system.
This is a non-conscious brain, (again-the conscious is a function of awareness and it’s tools are words so not present in the mouse), is a fast acting brain and has a direct connection to all of our senses. So you can see (sight-eyes) a rattle snake and be in a retreat long before there is any activation in the outer cortex where you use language to interpret the threat-slow brain.
And then of course there is the cortex, the CEO of the brain where you plan, analyze, rationalize, put things together, compare, interpret. This is the slow part of the brain so it is completely bypassed when we face a threat. It comes online only when we are safe.
Years ago I had a discussion about this with the Olympic Gold Medal winning wrestler that I was coaching, Jeff Blatnick. He said that he gets so nervous (perceived threat) that he sometimes freezes and makes mistakes. Here is the strategy that we developed.
Step one is to have awareness that this is happening. You increase your awareness of body sensations through consistent meditation. All you need is 5 minutes of box breathing, 5 seconds of an inhale, hold for 5 seconds, exhale slowly for 5 seconds, hold the exhale for 5 seconds (hence the box), and then just think OMMS.
Obstacles
Make
Me
Stronger
When your mind wanders and you notice thoughts just go back to box breathing and then think, effortlessly, OMMS.
Step two is to stop thinking and reframe it. Your thoughts are the tools to brain activation. Stop the negative stress and cortisol producing thoughts and reframe them with this, “I’m excited. This is a sign that I am ready. I will do very well”.
Step three is to stay focused in the present moment, right now. There is no fear in the present. There is no “freeze” in the present. There is no pain in the present. The present moment is a door to peak performance, the performance zone of excellence. Just repeat to yourself, now is all that matters. Excellence NOW. Focus NOW.
Simple isn’t it?
I was coaching a CFO who had to do a presentation the board. Every he felt this anxiety he took a deep breath, reframed, and stayed focus on the NOW. His reframe was, “I feel a sensation. This is a sign that I am well prepared. It’s how my body shows passion, excitement and excellence. This is a good thing.”
Use these three steps. Of course the underlying assumption that I am making is that you have put in the work to be prepared. Now just trust yourself and let your automatic brain take over. Focus on having fun, competing and allowing yourself to experience excellence in the present moment.
The Buddha
The Buddha was running for his life from a hungry lion. He came to a cliff, saw a vine and grabbing it hurled himself off the side of the cliff away from the grasp of the lion. He looked up and there was the lion just looking at him. He looked down and another group of lions had gathered about 50 feet below him waiting for their meal. Two mice were chewing on the vine.
At that moment he noticed a beautiful red, ripe strawberry growing right there on the face of the cliff. He reached over, grabbed it and savored the beautiful taste of that strawberry. Now that’s a here and now focus.
Practice this and turn excellence into automatic behavior. Let yourself be free from thought and just have fun!
Coach Bob