Reframing the narrative

Sometimes all it takes is a simple statistic, a fact or sentence eloquently made to change a perspective or clarify an idea which we had perhaps always known but never really understood.

The High-Performance podcast is one of my favorite listens and has been for a while. Each week Jake and Damian bring a high-flying individual, a leader in their field, someone that to many will have been seen as living on another sphere down to the human level. Whether it is Jonny Wilkinson discussing a life of exploration post rugby, Jo Malone on building, selling and then regretting it, or Mathew McConaughey about living in the moment, there is a single overriding theme that there is no one path to success and absolutely everyone who reaches the top of their game has been through some shit to get there. For anyone looking to do big things it is a must listen.

Recently there was a mention of fear and excitement being chemically the same and it intrigued me.

I frequently spend the weeks running up to events feeling terrified. It’s not through lack of preparation or a specific concern or doubt, in fact it’s often impossible to put into words what exactly I’m worried about but still find myself unable to sleep, spending hours poring over event details and working late.

Upon reflection I think that on working longer hours (even if productivity is low) and spending more time at my laptop has subconsciously equated in my mind to being better prepared… This is undoubtedly false (and probably contrary to what should be happening).

So, what happens if fear is reframed as excitement? There is virtually no difference, physiologically, between the sensations and symptoms but there is a big difference in how we react based on these feelings.

Think of what happens when we are nervous or scared; our heart rate increases, our hands get clammy, and we visualize the future. Now think of what happens when we are excited… pretty similar?

However, what happens when we act upon these emotions? One can lead to inaction, lack of confidence and doubt. The other can lead to the exact opposite – energy, commitment, and drive.

By simply reframing the narrative I genuinely believe that it will allow me, and Ultra X, to shift to embrace the big moments and take on challenges headfirst by seeing them as opportunities. Pressure is after all, a privilege.?