A man's life isn't easy. It doesn't matter where you are or on what level, life has a tendency to pummel you at every turn.
How do you do it?
How do you deal with a crisis without going mad?
The answer is stress management.
That's what I'm here to discuss, gentlemen. We're going over 8 key principles of stress management.
1. Passion & Perseverance: The Definition Of Pure Grit
Every man needs true grit to make it in life.
Grit represents courage and resolve – a man's strength of character and his resilience to stress. Warren Buffet said it best when he explained that “only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked.” It means that when the going gets tough, we see the real you – and whether you have what it takes.
Grit is about having an ultimate goal and sticking to it no matter what. The long days, the disappointments, the sacrifices – they're all worth it because ultimately, they all pay off.
The Principles
Paragons of grit have four psychological strengths: Interest, practice, purpose, and hope.
They're self-explanatory. Interest is about passion – knowing whether you give a damn about what you're doing. Practice lays with repetition. Get in there each and every day to do the reps and make steady progress. Purpose for you means having a defined, specific goal that makes every sacrifice worth it.
Lastly, but not least: hope. Hope is about wanting something – about knowing that no matter what, things will get better. This is critical because, without hope, everything collapses.
2. Be Grateful
It can always get worse. If you're reading this article, chances are you've had your share of hardship in the last few weeks.
Even so, you probably have something to be joyful for. Your wife, your parents, your kids. You have your education, your experiences, and a full belly.
Always remember that – not all is lost. Draw strength from that knowledge and kick some a**.
3. Have Purpose
That all-important principle of true grit – and stress management.
Like I said above, the purpose is all about having a mission. This is the reason you suffer what you do – why you power through each and every day.
Not every mission statement is the same. You can be doing it all to make sure your family has all they could ever need. You might be doing this to make a parent proud. Heck, you could be doing this for no other reason than to elevate yourself – it doesn't matter.
Whatever gets you through the day. THAT'S what matters.
4. Control Your Emotions…
… By taking control of your health.
Meditate, eat healthily, get some quality R&R and exercise. These are just a few ways you can stay in control.
Emotional control is not only essential for stress management, but it's also essential for leadership. To be able to step back and analyze is what makes us uniquely human, and a man who is ruled by rage has bleak prospects.
Click here to learn more about what makes an effective leader.
5. Accept Failure
Failure is part of the game. It's guaranteed to happen – more than once, in fact. You need to welcome those shortcomings for the lessons they are.
Draw strength from your failures.
How do you practice? Join a program where failure is inevitable. Take on a new sport or dance where you're guaranteed to be the slowest, clumsiest man there. With disciplined perseverance, the thrill of success will that much more delicious.
We're made by our failures, not our victories.
6. Measure Your Progress
A key to stress management is to feel like you're reaching success. The only way to do this is to adopt a precise unit of measurement for the progress you've made.
It can be anything – days, weeks, months. You can measure by the task or by particular milestones.
The only thing that matters is that you have a solid means to keep track of progress.
7. Plan Out The Worst Case
The easiest way to cope with the prospect of failure is to realize the worst-case scenario…
And then plan for it.
Assess the worst possible outcome – then you can avoid it.
Whether that be living in a van or going back to your mom's house, once you become accustomed to thinking about it, it'll start to sound tolerable.
There's a certain peace to be gained by knowing where rock-bottom is.
8. Lean On Your Friends
A solid support network is essential for stress management. No matter how bad it gets, it's important to remember that you're not alone.
Even if your friendships aren't what they used to be, you can go out and make some – yes, it's that simple. Find Facebook groups within your niche and get to know the people there.
Get friends to help bear the weight on your shoulders.
Summary – Stress Management
- True grit
- Be grateful
- Have a purpose
- Control your emotions
- Accept failure
- Measure success
- Plan for the worst
- Lean on your friends
Life will never be a straightforward affair. Even at the height of success, you'll be thrown deadly curve balls that'll require you to be at the top of your game.
Don't let life get you down, gents. Remember, be the man you know yourself to be.
