Stress

They say younger guys are eager to please, whereas older guys are not.

Hmm - something to chew on.

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Have been trying to handle stress and other affairs in a more mature and less harmful to self manner. That means no smoking. Cigars (which is something I recently started to appreciate, but all too soon, have to stop ingesting) are also a no go, according to the girlfriend. Rats! Thought I could get away with that.

Part of being mature, to me, means being able to calmly, rationally and effectively handle stress and various other issues instead of getting all excited or resorting to avenues such as smoking. Hence the desire to get involved in sporting activities, as it is only in that arena that my mind can truly block everything out and focus on the moment, on the sporting situation and reactions. It allows me to relax, calm down, and after the game, and focus on the issues on hand.

What are the issues bugging me anyway?

First of all, relationships wise I really need to buckle down, grow up and act like the 25 year old man I am soon going to be. I am constantly reminded of how much I need to grow and how youthful I am. Ok. So far, the girlfriend has been incredibly patient and tolerant, and it is only fair that I do right by her. The acid test is that I want to do it because it is the right way to think, not because I should. When it seems like she is withdrawing, should I see it as her withdrawing, or should I learn to accept that this is part of a woman’s moods or reactions to my behaviour? And it seems like my ability to articulate myself has been crushed by a rock of immense proportions, leading me to leave impressions that do not necessarily truly reflect the entire and true picture of me accurately.

Then, career wise things are in the midst of severe upheaval which I have been patiently trying to work out. First of all, with the sudden news of my pushed forward confirmation and ascension to an executive role, my current MT programme suddenly needs to be dramatically accelerated. With a sudden decrease in time available to do so, things are a rush, and are stressful as it is. Moreover, stepping into the new role has brought with it its own set of emotional and technical reactions. I have not had much time to deal with the emotional – as it is, the technical preparations I am going through in order to prepare me to take on the job confidently is already absorbing plenty of resources. This is a serious job which has immense repercussions on the company’s performance in the market, and the associated stress and burdens are hyper exacerbated by the fact that I have had so little training and preparation for it. Everyone has been pulling me aside telling me they expect all sorts of great things for me and all I keep hearing are steep learning curve, high expectations, unprecedented scrutiny etc.

OK, in the face of crisis (this hardly qualifies as one does it?) lies the greatest opportunity. Such times are the best way to test a man’s mettle. I think it was Churchill who said that how a man reacts in times of toughness best reflects what kind of a man that is. Well said. He also said to a group of university students, no matter what you are facing in life, never give up.

Using that philosophy, I shall move onto the next post…