Volume 2, Issue 3

April 8, 2002

Beyond Success Newsletter

Is Adrenaline Guiding Your Focus?

by Trish Pratt

Do you experience a lack of focus in your life? Do you find yourself pedaling hard but not getting very far? Do you notice yourself resisting the "sameness" that a schedule or routine has to offer? If you answered yes to any of these, you may very well be an adrenaline addict.

Adrenaline addiction is one of several reasons why some people struggle with focus. Other factors such as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), a clinically diagnosed disorder of extreme focus difficulty, can also be a reason for lack of focus. Fears of the unknown, anticipated difficulty of the tasks ahead, or lack of interest are additional sources of focus problems. But sometimes the reason is simply the need for change that pulls at us causing us to shift from project to project (or distraction to distraction) -causing us to shift focus just as we begin to sense progress. This strong need for change often has to do with providing ourselves with an adrenaline boost.

Adrenaline is a hormone created by our bodies that helps us blast through difficult/stressful situations. It is part of the "fight-or-flight" response that our bodies experience when needing to cope with acute stress. The physiological changes we experience with adrenaline situations help us to respond faster and give us added energy to deal with the crisis at hand.

For some individuals, this adrenaline scenario has become a regular source of energy for them. This physiological response to stress, whether being late for an appointment, being behind in their bills, responding to a miscommunication, etc. gives them the boost of energy that helps organize them into action. Their addiction to this stress response can keep them living in a pattern of reacting to crisis rather than focusing on and planning for the future.

For the adrenaline addict, the immediate sense of moving (or desire to move) towards a goal can easily fade before any significant progress is made. When not responding to stress but rather working proactively towards completing an activity, the addict experiences a lower level of energy. This lower energy level doesn't provide the adrenaline boost that they have come to know as normal, and so their attention is quickly diverted -- often simply for the sense of change, and sometimes for more exciting or stressful activities.

Adrenaline in Business

Business owners and entrepreneurs seem to be especially vulnerable to adrenaline addiction. Along with the opportunity for financial success and freedom, what often attracts business owners and entrepreneurs to owning and managing a business is the variety and excitement of the "big picture" focus. And although not everyone who likes variety falls into this adrenaline-type category, the varied and numerous tasks that owning (especially starting) a business can offer, can feel like a great fit for these types of individuals.

Can the adrenaline-type person learn to manage this condition? Absolutely, but the first step is recognizing the pattern and understanding why, if not managed properly, it's a set-up for failure and frustration.

The Adrenaline Trade-Off

What we GET from an adrenaline pattern:

  • Temporary periods of feeling more present
  • Temporary energy peaks (high-level, but short-lived)
  • Temporary ability to avoid feelings
  • Temporary periods of strong focus
  • Sense of being an imposter in our own life.

What we GIVE UP is:

  • Ability to complete tasks.
  • Sustained energy that nurtures us.
  • Emotional well-being. (Often there are periods of depression or extreme fatigue when the adrenaline is gone.)
  • Physical well-being. (Living life this way is wearing to our physiological systems and leaves us fatigued.)
  • Ability to focus on bigger or long-range tasks.
  • Ability to move towards long-term goals.
  • Sensing and understanding of feelings.
  • Self-esteem.
  • Health relationships. (It can be difficult to have a great relationship with someone who bases his or her life on stress.)
  • Control over our lives.

So you can see... if you have long-range goals and a vision that you would like to move towards, the trade-off is not a good one. There are lots of ways to shift out of an adrenaline pattern and into one that is more constant and sustaining -- one that will support you in moving forward to your long-term goals and gaining a sense of true control over your life. In the next newsletter we'll look at strategies for taking charge of your life and kicking the adrenaline habit!

Wishing you continued success,
- Trish

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About Trish

Trish Pratt is a professional certified coach and consultant. She is also a certified PaperRoom coach trained in pattern recognition (see www.momentumcoaching.com/paperroom.html for more details). Trish helps managers and other professionals bring their best clarity, communication and leadership to their work. She does this with one-on-one coaching, training/workshops, and through articles she writes. Contact Trish today for a complimentary consultation at: 978-635-0603 or via email at: trish@momentumcoaching.com.

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