75. Operating in Chaos

Here’s what I admire most about first responders and soldiers.

They can operate at an extremely high level amidst chaos.

Regular people crumble under pressure and call someone who knows how to handle the situation.

But we’re not here to talk about regular people.

I don’t want to be a regular person, and I know you don’t either, so let’s learn how to operate in chaos.

Chaos finds us periodically, and it always looks different. You can’t predict it, but you can prepare for it, and it’s necessary to do so, considering that it’s not a matter of it, but when, chaos will find you.

Open your mind for a little while. We don’t have to be talking about combat or motor vehicle accidents to be talking about chaos.

I’ve heard first time parents describe the delivery of their newborn as chaotic.

Others describe breakups as chaotic. Layoffs, losses in the family, bankruptcy, first days on the job or your kids all getting sick at the same time may all be described as chaotic.

There have been a few moments in my life that felt chaotic, and what I recall is that it was internal, not external.

Nobody else knew except my wife.

In these instances, there was no one I could call to handle the situation. All I could do is face the situation and take care of it.

At the same time, I had to go to work and deliver service at a high level. We don’t have a remote control with a pause button to push every time chaos ensues.

These days, life can be blown up with a single email, phone call or state of emergency declared.

Remember the pandemic? From what I can tell, people and businesses either got worse or they got better.

Those were the only options. Staying the same wasn’t on the table. Continuing operations amidst chaos became necessary.

It’s amazing how much you realize is going on in the world when it seems like you need your own life to stop for a moment. When you stop, you really see how much is moving on without you.

This is why we need to be just a bit more like first responders and soldiers.

My responsibilities don’t change in my own personal moment of chaos.

The bank doesn’t care what I’m going through, the government doesn’t care, the faulty self checkout machine doesn’t care and neither does anyone in the parking lot, wherever I happen to be.

I don’t get to abandon my obligation to be a positive, contributing member of society because I’ve got a crisis on my hands.

My response to chaos needs to align with who I am or I can kiss goodbye to any false identity I may have believed myself to be.

It takes years to build a reputation but just a moment to ruin one.

Now let’s make this simpler.

What I’m saying is that you cannot afford to abandon who you are, what you’ve built and all your hopes and dreams because you’re having a bad day.

So how do we learn to operate in chaos anyway?

Well, I’ve been writing about that for the past 74 weeks.

Chaos gets easier when you get better. When you have healthy relationships, clear direction and confidence in who you are, difficult situations are much easier to deal with.

I’m not saying there won’t ever be life altering chaos, because there will, but stronger people are harder to knock down. I think Rocky Balboa may have said it best:

To keep moving forward, you have to know where you’re going, so don’t ever lose sight of your real priorities.

Think about what you value. Write it down. If you can stick to your values, you can stick to anything. If you hold on to your values, you can be stripped of everything else and still come out on top.

As a personal trainer, I get to see this in real life all the time. I see the difference between people who value hard work and determination and those who don’t. When it gets hard, some people give up and look for a way out. Others dig deep and give it everything they have, refusing to tap out.

We’re too quick to tap out and abandon our potential.

It will be hard, and sometimes it will seem like everything is happening to keep you from achieving what you want. Chaos can appear as if it’s only there to make your goals impossible.

Keep moving forward.

Don’t try to dodge it, go around it or wait until it’s over. Go straight on through chaos and take what you’ve built with you.

You’ve had a lifetime to equip yourself for your next challenge. Not only that, you have other people’s lives to learn from as well. Don’t be naive and think there’s no way forward.

Truthfully, I feel this is a topic greater than I can justly write about, but I hope that during the next time you feel overwhelmed you can remember that you’re still you. You’re still the same person you were at your best. Your greatest achievements and your best qualities are still real in moments that seem dark.

Thoughts?

— Cody

If you’re not already, be sure to subscribe, and if there’s anyone you think would benefit from this, please share so they don’t miss out!

See you next Thursday.

Interested in chatting in person over a couple steaming cups? Send me a text!