Are You Comfortable?

The term resilience is being used a lot lately. It’s hard to find a post on LinkedIn without it.

A search on Google produces the following definition:

The capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.

Resilience is a core requirement for courageous leaders. It’s an attribute we all need these days.

But how do you develop resilience?

Back when most of the challenges in my life occurred in the boxing ring, I developed resilience through rigorous conditioning.

My daily conditioning program consisted of:

• Roadwork – running hills, roads or on train track ties (great for developing footwork)

• Strength training

• Innumerable rounds of skipping rope

• Shadow boxing

• Heavy bag work

• Focus pad work

• Sparring

• Abdominal strength training

These daily habits developed my physical and mental conditioning.

(Skills development was the focal point of separate training sessions.)

I learned that from a combatives perspective, the first line of defense is awareness.

If one can perceive a threat at a distance, one can avoid it and/or have more time to select an appropriate response.

The second line of defense, when face to face with an opponent, is one’s ability to de-fuse a confrontation verbally. Knowing what to say, how to say it and when to speak are critical in de-escalating conflict.

If the opponent managed to get through the first two, the next line of defense was based on combative skills. If the opponent had a similar or more advanced skill set, my last line of defense was my physical conditioning. The ability to absorb physical punishment and return fire… or run.

I believe that one’s physical, mental, and emotional resilience in most arenas of life requires regular conditioning. In other words, your daily rituals (or habits; another currently wildly popular concept) will form the backbone of how you “withstand or recover quickly from difficulties”.

I’m not suggesting you join an MMA gym to become resilient. I am recommending however you get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Get comfortable with uncomfortable conversations. Get used to asking tough questions of yourself and your team; and accept the answers even if they’re painful to hear.

Accept that new project or take on a new role. Take a chance on being a student again and learning a new skill. The confidence you gain in being willing to fail will build your confidence and resilience.

You’re going to need it. We all will.