This is defined as the “physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived harmful event, attack, or threat to survival”.
Let me just highlight that - perceived harmful event, attack, or threat to survival.
Pretty heavy right?
Now, think about that time when you were given more responsibility by your boss, or things started to get tough in your start-up, what did you do?
Most of the stories I’ve encountered go for the Flight Response. They either decline the promotion, escape to another company, drop their current start-up and move on to their next idea.
Why is that?
Why is it that when we are pushed to our limits, when we are forced to step out of our comfort zone, we respond as if this is a “harmful event, attack, or threat to survival”?
Seth Godin attributes this to our “lizard brain” - that primitive instinct to survive. He talks about how to keep our lizard brains quiet but I was thinking, there’s another option.
Most of the time, we use the Flight Response when we’re uncomfortable.
What if you used the Fight Response?
It’s the same thing anyway. You are perceiving being uncomfortable as an attack or threat to your survival. So why not try using the other option - Fight.
Before you try to escape, challenge yourself to fight. Stay another month. See what happens. Go through the uncomfortable. Embrace the discomfort.
How you respond to things, to bigger responsibilities, to harsh conditions will greatly affect the path that you are on.
