From Hero to Zero - are you 45+ and down for the count?

Are you 45+ and fired, or divorced or lost a loved one? Or all 3?

Recoil happens to a lot of high-performing people like you in business.

You experience a feeling of hopelessness, anxiety, guilt.

It’s like a critic in your head, “Don’t get used to success. If you get used to feeling good, think how disappointed you’ll be when everything fails.? Like it always eventually does. ? Feeling good is not how we do things around here”.

Why does Recoil happen?

When you achieve something of massive importance, you have a dopamine high.

In response to rewarding stimuli, such as achieving that massive goal, dopamine is released from neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the brain.

The released dopamine travels to various brain regions, including the nucleus accumbens and the prefrontal cortex, activating the reward pathways. This activation is associated with feelings of pleasure and satisfaction.

When the reward stimuli stop generating dopamine, the critic in your head starts up with you.

Last week, you were invincible. This week, you are worthless.

With great expectations comes great risk. The more joy, the more the risk of Recoil.

It’s like a hangover after getting drunk.

People will tell you to step back, slow down, and be more “realistic” about your life and your objectives.

Let’s admit it - slowing down and being realistic doesn't make you feel better and doesn’t bring back the greatness you had last week after the big win.

The solution??

Don’t be realistic, and don’t slow down.?

Get angry. Get Help. Commit to greatness again.

• Getting angry will energize yourself and help you to drop your fake negative beliefs.
• Get help. Ask a friend for help in sustaining your drive to greatness. Your friend will gain from being trusted and from having the chance to deal with his own Recoil from your experience.
• Commit to greatness. Anger and help should provide the momentum you need to break the Recoil anti-pattern.?

The question is - how do you keep your commitment to achieve greatness for yourself and for your team?

The more you tap into your internal energy and commit to your life, the shorter your episodes with Recoil. Over time, and with practice, you will purge Recoil.