As an entrepreneur, do you ever experience high levels of stress? Ok, not you, no way, never, uh uh, life is grand, no problems, no worries, no concerns… 

For the rest of us who do encounter stress, here’s a tool that is designed to reduce your stress level and allow you to retain control of your faculties, so you can generate more productive results.

DISCLAIMER:  I am not a medical doctor (that’s my Dad’s job, and I don’t want it). I am not a Psychologist or Psychiatrist. I am merely an entrepreneur who notices stuff.  When I notice stuff, I often research it. Then I gather my impressions and add my own interpretations into the mix. If you encounter stress at other than "normal" levels (whatever that is) you might want to discuss it with someone more qualified than me.

What you are about to read is not some "universal truth" (though, I will express it as if it were). 

Stress

So what happens when a stress suddenly enters our system? We experience the "fight or flight" syndrome where the body releases chemicals (namely adrenaline and nor-adrenaline) into your system. The blood flow slows down to less critically important areas of the body in order to divert blood and energy to large muscle groups. This allows us to either fight or flee as the case may be, with additional energy available to support us.

This is quite a useful survival mechanism if you think about it. After all, it has only been about 35,000 years since we "dropped from the trees" in our evolution (for those who believe in evolution). When it was time to run, the more energy you could deliver to your legs, the better your chances of eluding those who would add you to their menu.

Other responses to stress include fear, anger, anxiety and aboulia. Aboulia is an illness whose symptoms occur when you have chronic indecision or an inability to act decisively. In other words, you do other stuff to avoid something. Ever notice how clean the garage, the basement, and maybe even your desk get when it’s time to do your taxes? Everything else gets done except the taxes. That’s aboulia.

ORJI:  Observation, Reaction, Judgment, Intervention

When stress hits us, we tend to react. Then we immediately jump to an intervention. 99.997% of all reaction-based interventions, in non-life threatening situations are inappropriate and dysfunctional. The other 0.003% are coincidence. (Aside… did you know that 44.92% of all statistics are made up?)

Have you ever seen someone get cut off in traffic, and then start making back unpleasant hand gestures? For a while in Los Angeles, they were just as likely to shoot you. Now that is clearly a case of reaction-based intervention!

What if you could stay in "observation" long enough to work past your reactions? That way, instead of instantly intervening in an inappropriate manner, you could make further judgments that lead to more productive outcomes.

Staying in Observation (or staying in "O" as we like to call it) is easier to say than to do. Yet by slowing down, and not jumping in, the results are often quite remarkable. When there is anxiety in a sales situation, often people over-talk in a nervous reaction to an objection they are surprised by. What might happen if you were to stay in "O" and get some additional information? Stopping yourself from over-talking as a reactionary response to an issue is almost always the preferred route to take. How do you get into (and stay into) "O"?

Safety Tip:  Getting into, and Staying in "O"

One of the best ways we have found to get into "observation" mode is to ask yourself a question. Now there are effective questions and there are ineffective questions.  Your subconscious mind does not know the difference. If you asked yourself, "Why am I so stupid?", your brain would actually get to work on this issue.  "Maybe you fell down the stairs as a child…" it might speculate.

WITPO and WITCO

However, if you ask yourself a productive question, such as "What is the purpose of . . ." (or WITPO for short) or "What is the Cause / Cost / Consequence of . . ." (WITCO), then your brain will get to work in a far more productive manner.

By asking yourself a question (a "What" or a "How" type question rather than a "Why" type question), you slow down long enough to move past the initial reaction, thereby increasing the likelihood of a productive response.

As an exercise to practice using this tool, notice over the course of the next week, other people who react to stressful situations. It is generally easier to see it in others first. Notice who moves into a reaction-based intervention, and who stays in "O".

The more awareness you can generate with this tool, the more effective you will be as an entrepreneur, and the more enjoyment you will gain in life.