Los Angeles, CA – In dealing with stress, successful individuals often possess a crucial skill that sets them apart from others, according to Wiens. They shift their stress response from “fight-or-flight” to viewing challenges as opportunities to be conquered.
The typical fight-or-flight response, triggered by perceived threats, can have adverse effects when faced with everyday stressors such as deadlines or demanding supervisors. Wiens emphasizes that our bodies struggle to differentiate between real and perceived threats, leading to chronic anxiety or exaggerated reactions.
High achievers, as Wiens discovered through her research on thriving individuals in high-stress environments, approach stressful situations as challenges to overcome rather than succumbing to fight-or-flight mode. This mentality has shown to increase resilience to stress, resulting in better overall health, emotional well-being, and productivity in the workplace.
To effectively adopt this alternative response, building self-awareness is key in shifting away from fight-or-flight. Wiens suggests challenging assumptions and interrupting negative thinking loops by asking oneself what is true in a given situation and reflecting on personal strengths, available resources, and past experiences in handling similar stressors.
By reframing stressors as challenges, individuals can problem-solve with a clear mind and see positive outcomes instead of fixating on potential negative consequences. Wiens recommends a series of questions to guide individuals in cultivating a challenge response when faced with stress in the workplace.
In her book “Burnout Immunity,” Wiens highlights the success of healthcare workers who thrived in high-stress hospital environments during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic by adopting a challenge response to stress. This perspective not only avoids burnout but also enhances performance by sending more oxygen to the brain and muscles through dilated blood vessels.
By recognizing stress as a source of energy for success, individuals can leverage their physiological responses to achieve peak performance in challenging situations. This shift in mindset not only improves how stress is managed but also paves the way for greater accomplishment and satisfaction in facing obstacles and achieving goals.