This week at the best business coach program across the globe I have realized something important about myself. I am not fooled by propaganda and fear-mongering. When someone suggests I should be scared I ask why. I don’t just agree to be scared. I don’t agree with the fear and downright panic all of the globe has decided to succumb to. I am of the firm belief that every adversity is an opportunity to learn and grow as a business coach.
What I’ve learned in the middle of the Coronviras outbreak is that when everyone is scared don’t be. It sounds strange, doesn’t it? You would think my first thought would be agreement, “there must be something to be afraid of .” Instead, my thought is this,
“Who wants me scared and why?”
Because emotional people lose the ability to think. The almond-sized part of the brain called the amygdala
Click for proof here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amygdala
The amygdala becomes engaged when we feel the emotion and then shuts down the thinking part of our brain. When there is a baby in an advertisement everyone is more likely to click on the advertisement because of the baby they see. People click because they are emotional, they saw a baby smiling and now said person is happy because of it. Why am I talking about babies and advertising? Because the advertiser couldn’t get a click of their advertisement simply said “Green Laundry Detergent” and had a photo of laundry detergent staged on a surprisingly scratch-free Washing Machine.
Going back to what I’ve learned this week as a business coach. When you feel the pressure to emotionally react say no! Instead, choose a positive action to grow and benefit you.
So the way my family is choosing to deal with the coronavirus is to buy stock. While the stock market has hit an all-time low my husband and I are investing in stock while it’s cheap because everyone is scared and selling. While everyone is buying up Reasor’s supply of toilet paper they are reacting in a panic, allowing that little almond size part of the brain takes over.
As a business owner, there are two huge shops benefits of choosing to act instead of reacting in the face of fear.
First, it is especially not time to run rampant laying off half your staff and going home to cry over a jar of Nutella. This is the time to keep your ads running, call your leads, and finish up those “someday” tasks that always get buried underneath your priorities.
Remember, While you are busy running your business and staying the course, your competition is running scared. Half their labor has been sent home, the ads are off, Google is about to take them off page one and who does that leave for leads to choose? You of course! You are open and ready for business.
Second, your team has their family, friends, and every close every trusty smartphone to remind them of what can and may happen. You are the sole voice of truth for your team. Just this week I have heard some on my team express gratefulness to have a job that isn’t buying into the hysteria currently sweeping our planet.
Choose action not fear and remember we are not the first or last generation to encounter a widespread epidemic. We just happen to be the first generation to experience a global pandemic in the age of instant news access. Choose to be calm in the sea of chaos. Become less accessible to the reactors and more attractive to the money makers.
Thank you to Jon Kelly & business coach Clay Clark for your mentorship.
