Everyone discovers an extra gear in a crisis

“Everyone discovers an extra gear in a crisis. The rare skill is accessing it without one.”

Shane Parrish, New York Times bestselling author

Image from Unsplash by Tim Mossholder

Everyone finds an extra gear in a crisis. It’s almost primal — the sudden clarity, the instinctive surge that lets us move faster, think sharper, endure longer.

But why does it take a crisis to wake up our full potential?

Most people need pressure to feel permission to be powerful. Only the rare few don’t wait for the fire — they summon that energy on purpose.

They act with urgency before urgency exists. They don’t need adrenaline — they have intention.

Mastering that — accessing your “crisis gear” in calm times — isn’t luck or genetics, it’s discipline, awareness, and practice.

The world rewards those who shift early, not only when the road is on fire.

EXERCISE:

Consider reading Wayne Dyer’s book The Power of Intention to access that extra gear. His work demonstrates how intention is a universal creative force where aligned thoughts, emotions, and actions come together to create a more rewarding and purposeful life.

Notice the pressure of perfect

Notice the pressure of perfect.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Christian Erfurt

Today’s quote is for you, even if you are not a perfectionist.

Although many of us like order in our lives, most of us realize that life is messy and perfection isn’t possible.

For those of us who know or perhaps live with a perfectionist, we can see the pressure this trait puts on them — and us — through our proximity.

Far too often we fall short of our expectations and the angst of not being good enough sends many of us to dark places.

Getting 1600 on your SATs and having the stress of living a 4.0 life isn’t likely to produce a happy, meaningful life.

EXERCISE:

Where in your world is the pressure to be perfect not working for you or others?

In what current situations is good enough good enough?

Sometimes I wrote things because I couldn’t say them

“Sometimes I wrote things because I couldn’t say them…. couldn’t keep them bottled inside me.”

Octavia E. Butler, 20th Century award-winning American science fiction author

Image from Unsplash by Bianca Stancescu

How often do you enjoy beverages with bubbles? Recall the sounds when each bottle is first opened and the audible fizz when you pour its contents into a glass.

Liquids under pressure are always waiting for us to release them.

What pressures are you experiencing these days?

How often do you internalize the stresses and strains of life and keep things bottled up?

EXERCISE:

How could keeping a journal or notebook help you express and release some of the strong feelings you keep bottled up?

How could talking with a trusted friend or family member help you release even more of this pressure?