“That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.” - Frederich Nietche

Calm, cool, and collected under pressure. There is a reason that is a cliche. It is one of the most important attributes of a warrior. It is also a vital attribute for success in any endeavor. How we handle stress doesn’t just determine our success in moments of conflict, it determines our happiness and success in life. Because of the physiological effects of stress, it may also partially determine our long-term health, perhaps even to a degree our longevity.

They key to handling large amounts of deleterious stress (or distress - as opposed to positive stress or eustress) is two-fold. The first half is triage. When combat medics or emergency room doctors do triage, they evaluate which patients to work on based on who can be helped vice who is too far gone, and then by who needs their services the most. This same principle works very well when addressing multiple concerns or problems. Can you fix it or mitigate it? If it’s outside your control then simply accept that and move on to the problems you can influence through your efforts. Then you simply pick what needs to be addressed most urgently and work through the issues in order of importance as best you can.

The second half of the solution is to remain process focused. Worry about outcomes can paralyze you, prevent you from applying whatever remedies are needed as effectively as you are capable. Simply do what needs to be done to the best of your ability. Anything beyond that is once again outside of your control.

How we manage positive stress matters as well, especially over the long term. Eustress, correctly applied, is the sole mechanism by which we improve our strengths and abilities. It’s the last few difficult repetitions of an exercise that make us come back stronger or faster after the appropriate amount of recovery. Learning to balance work and rest, to manage self-applied stress, is the single most important principle of self-development in every area of our lives. Master that, and reaching your potential as an athlete and as a human being becomes possible. Fail to understand it, and you will never become who you could otherwise be.