Tag Archives: calm

Cucumber Cool

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Question: Some people never seem to get flustered when situations become chaotic. How do they do that?

Answer: We all would like to stay cool, calm and collected when the pressure rises. Sometimes it’s not easy to do. My dad was one such individual. He was trained as a scientist and was absolutely steady as a rock. When my mother would become excited about something, he was unflappable. I studied his quiet manner for many years and often wondered if what I saw on the outside was really happening the same way on the inside. As an adult I was finally able to answer this question the more mature I became.

Dad really was cool as a cucumber inside and out. His scientific background helped him analyze everything and find the facts rather than getting caught up in the emotion. Dad also never took himself too seriously. I can’t remember a single display of egotistical behavior in all of the years he was alive. These attributes are instructive for all of us.

When things start to spin out of control, we can look for the facts. Analytical thinking tends to be a calming process and may be a steadying influence. Imagine a circumstance where we are feeling “fight or flight.” Suppose a large customer has just indicated that it is no longer going to purchase from us. The revenue loss from this customer will mean employee layoffs and potential losses for the company. The staff is upset and panicked over the news. What is needed is someone who hasn’t lost his or her cool. This can happen if we focus on obtaining the facts about the situation. Our words and demeanor are soothing and our pursuit of a logical conclusion is comforting to those around us. Panic and discouragement give way to our team figuring out how to turn lemons into lemonade.

In addition to calmly tackling the situation in a clinical fashion we also avoid letting our egos get in the way. We show concern for others and help them manage through their feelings. We stay positive and upbeat. The people around us see that we’re unruffled and in a problem-solving mode and they respond in kind. Our approach to an unsettling situation helps to defuse the anxiety and channel it productively.

Staying cool, calm and collected is not an act but a mindset. Generally an emotional response to a negative situation does little to produce a resolution. When we shift into analyzing the facts and subordinate our egos to others, they are reassured and able to function in a fruitful manner.

This blog is being written in tandem with my book, “An Entrepreneur’s Words to Live By,” available on Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle (My Book), as well as being available in all of the other major eBook formats.

Cucumber on White

Quiet

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Question: I find that when I go to bed at night I have a hundred thoughts running through my head. Sometimes it’s hard to get to sleep. I know that I’m a busy person but is this normal?

Answer: Busy people – especially entrepreneurs – process a lot of information on a continual basis. According to a variety of sources, the average brain has 70,000 thoughts a day. I’m not sure how this was measured but it’s clear that there’s a lot floating around in our brains. So it’s not hard to see how we can become overwhelmed by mind-clutter. We need to find a way to somehow turn it all off.

There is a way. The concept involves spending a few minutes each day in quiet contemplation. Some call this meditation. But it need not be construed as having religious overtones. Instead, consider meditation as a time to block out the hustle and bustle of the world around us and sharpen the focus of our mind. I find that there are times when my emotional state is not in sync with my mental state. I use meditation to align my heart and my head.

I used to schedule this time of quiet right after I got out of bed each day. But I found that I would become too relaxed and fall asleep. What works best for me is to complete my morning exercise routine and then spend seven to ten minutes in solitude.

Here’s the process I use. I sit in a chair with my feet flat on the floor, close my eyes and put my hands in my lap. I concentrate on my breathing, slowly bringing the breaths from diaphragm. Then I visualize the Horizontal Situation Indicator that is an instrument on the control panel of an aircraft. The HSI displays a bifurcated vertical bar with an arrow on top. When flying an instrument approach, the pilot attempts to fly so that the vertical bar and the arrow become one. For me, this is the way I see my head and my heart becoming aligned. Finally, I clear away the constant stream of thoughts in my mind and create a void. When one or more thoughts creep into my consciousness, I gently push them out to once again create a void.

By calming our minds and pushing out all thoughts, we become open and receptive to the powerful flow of positive and creative energy that comes rushing into the void. And we can see the successful results through new ideas and solutions to problems we are working that present themselves throughout the day.

This blog is being written in tandem with my book, “An Entrepreneur’s Words to Live By,” available on Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle (My Book), as well as being available in all of the other major eBook formats.

HSI