You Only Grow When Under Pressure

This must be one of the busiest times I have experienced since I started JD Mindcoach and I love it. It stretches the boundaries of time management and stress management but it is in these times that you grow.

Following a very busy weekend with the Rotary Club where I spoke to 600 members on stage in a magnificent theatre I spent this week working with the video guys who came to film me. On Monday I had a coaching session with my client in the Isle of Man, on Tuesday coaching another client in Nottingham, then on Wednesday a trip to London to have lunch with a potential client.

On Thursday I ran a 3 hour workshop for 14 Managing Directors all members of the Academy for Chief Executives; then today (Friday) I have delivered two one hour key note talks in Birmingham then driven two hours to a hotel near London where I am now writing this blog.

Professional Speakers Association

I am here to attend the Professional Speakers Association Convention where I can hear the best speakers in the world give tips and advice on how to become a better speaker and to network with other speakers. I am a member of the PSA and have been for 4 years.

This amount of work can be overwhelming and maintaining a positive mindset during these times is very important. Because of the sheer work involved in the events of this week I have been planning my talks the night before delivering them – not ideal but this was the only way to keep a very high level of delivery. By focussing on the next delivery only; all my talks, workshops and coaching sessions have gone very well with happy clients.

Time Management

Focus was the key here. If I had tried to multitask and do a bit of everything I would have run out of time to deliver on time. By working out the time- lines of all of the key deliveries I had to make this week, I could pick off the ones which were critical for that day and get on with them. When these were complete I moved onto the next ones.

This has taken a great deal of organisation, effective planning and good time management. As I spoke to the audience this morning and delivered my two Mental Resilience one hour key note talks I mentioned the fact that it is only in the pressure situations that we grow in character, comfort zone and ability to handle pressure.

Rest and Recovery

When we are relaxing, the body and mind rest and recover and this is a very important process as without this recovery we burn out and succumb to the physical effects of stress. However when we are under sometimes unbearable stressors, it is in these very times that we grow. It is very much like going to the gym where the muscles grow only when they are subjected to stress.

The late nights this week and the lack of sleep haven’t been ideal but it’s all about delivering the goods for the client and staying healthy. So tonight I am going to bed at around 8pm so I can get at least 10 hours sleep so I can catch up on my sleep and be refreshed for the all-day conference tomorrow – that is why you are receiving this blog on a Friday. As an aside using the sleep techniques I use when coaching, I will be asleep within a couple of minutes even though I am in a strange bed.

Focus

I need to have full focus on the conference to get the most out of it and learn as much as I can to get better at what I do. It’s only 2 weeks to the launch of my book at Waterstones in Nottingham on Sat 24^th October and we already have around 90 people attending which is exciting. https://www.jdmindcoach.com

If I am honest I don’t really like being this busy and having late nights with lack of sleep but there are things we need to do in life that we may not like, but need to do to grow. As we take the pressure and deliver the results, something happens inside and you become a little more confident, a little more resilient and your comfort zone stretches a little bit further.

Happy either way

When I am under pressure I know I am growing and will see the results down the line like working out in the gym so I know it’s doing me good. I also like to rest and relax so whether I am busy or relaxing I am happy because I know that both are doing me good.

I have another very busy week next week and I shall adopt the same philosophy for the upcoming events and grow in the process.

Actions

1. Have a think about the pressures you are under and see if you can reframe these into a positive
2. Remember when you are under pressure you are growing in some way, so embrace it and try to enjoy some of the experience
3. Stress that is out of control is very damaging to the body, even though it all starts in the mind
4. Avoid thinking about the stressful things you are facing
5. One thing I like to tell my coaching clients is: ‘If you can do something about something do it, if you can’t do anything, then don’t think about it’
6. If you do think about something you can’t do anything about, it won’t change anything except it will make you ill with physical damage to your body
7. Get a good time management system

Until next time have a great weekend and stay positive.

Warm regards

John