118 FREE SAMPLE OF SUCCESS UNDER STRESSpace, you might not be seen as a contender or you might let a critical
item fall through the cracks. You worry that if you don’t work all the
time you could lose an important client or won’t earn enough money.
You run mental movies of what might happen if you lose your job or
don’t earn enough each month.
Third, for many of us, this overload is just the base of a stack of
other stresses that compound one another to magnify the effect. For
example, perhaps your high expectations of yourself (and others) cre-
ate an extra layer of pressure to do more. If you have any doubts about
yourself, you may worry about what other people think; you may feel
the need to invest extra effort in getting their approval. We constantly
judge ourselves on whether we are doing enough at work or at home.
And yet we know that in order to succeed, it’s more important than ever
to speak up and show confidence instead of staying in our comfort zone.
In the face of all this, you try to produce meaningful work, make
your mark, and be well paid for your services. No wonder stress has
become a national epidemic! (Over 80% of workers feel stress on the
job^4 and over 70% of healthcare provider visits are due to stress-re-
lated conditions.^5 ) The pace feels unsustainable, and many of us are
already near a breaking point, with no relief in sight.
The New Normal is here to stay, but there’s good news: it can
work for you. What if you had the ability to complete projects and
handle people as smoothly as in the second 4 scenario? What if
you could be present at work, and present at home? What if you could
get off the Survival Under Stress cycle and onto Success Under Stress?
In Chapter 2 you’ll learn how to do so—and quickly—by flipping the
control switch.Are You on the Survival Under Stress Cycle?
If you want to take a temperature check to understand how much of
your life is defined by Survival Under Stress, then take a brief detour
and fill out the chart below. You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment as
you begin to shift to Success Under Stress.M
American Management Association / http://www.amanet.org