Risky Business

Be A Simple Living Hero
Is being a hero an accident waiting to happen? You bet it is! Finding meaning from mistakes and accidents can turn lives around, build confidence and self esteem in place of guilt and despair.

Accidents Do Happen
Fear and anger are the most primitive avoidance and escape responses to pain. Nature gave them to get us out of impossible situations. Flight or fight are short term remedies, if that. They rarely correct a situation, although, they can sometimes make it not happen again. As seen by others, they’re only good warning signals. Out of control fear or anger cause more harm than good. Directed fear and anger motivate us to handle the impossible.

What A Stunt
Stunt men make accidents on purpose. They get paid big bucks to make them look real. Professional High Risk takers leave as little to chance as possible. They love the adrenaline rush from death defying acts, but know feeling confident is a must. They plan every single way they can reduce risk before performing at the right time and place with the right resources.

Repeated Mistakes
Without success, learning strategies during high stress quickly deteriorate into the most basic form of problem solving, random trial and error. Feeling guilty after making a mistake can prompt us back into success, if we turn off negative thoughts by using a problem solving script, instead of putting ourselves down or blaming others.

Risky Business - Strategy Checklist

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Can it be done? ( under best conditions by the best person)
Can I catch it ever being done right? (How often? When?)
Are all the materials needed, available?
Is training needed to know how to do it?
(can it be done together? under supervision? alone?)
What part was done right? (How often? When?)
What naturally occurring cues happen just before the event (warnings)?
Who owns it? (who is affected by it? How?)
What are the consequences (and payoffs) for doing it wrong?
What are the payoff's (and consequences) for doing it right?

People have built in motivation to give their all during emergencies. It is natural to want to put off until our attention is demanded. We can't be everywhere at once. We tend to wait to problem solve until the last moment. Clear things up with your trusty Strategy Chccklist. It's a good way to drop arguments, sulking, venting, trying to get even and recrimination back into the bucket. They only stir up muddy water. You aren't alone when using a Strategy Checklist to direct attention when a crisis hits. All the big boys are using them.

National Heroes
On a national scale, contingency planning is in place for large scale risks. All the action required is to open the secret envelope and follow the strategy plan. Quick action saves lives, limits destruction and gives control back again. We can do the same for personal and family crises before they happen. It gives direction to our fear and anger, that ultimately turns life around into a heroic success. It's how we become heroes.

Natural Leaders
Children learn quicker than adults when moving into new environments. They immerse themselves in their new neighborhood, get to know everyone, make friends and hunt out play areas. Play turns mistakes into safely practiced options. Natural Leaders who are children, initiate visits, watch, ask, play and then begin making suggestions.

Once a strategy plan is worked up and in place, use play to practice it. It's a safe way to work out the kinks and frustrations the way natural leaders do. Using strategies for turning mistakes and accidents into success adds meaning to our lives and for those we love. It helps us know when we've done our best and it's time to let go of impossible situations without guilt or shame.

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More Fine Columns by Bob Richardson:
Heart Drops illustrated prose and poetry, made tender and warm, just the way you like them.
Reflections featured TS column with tips, humor and homespun philosophy on living in simplicity.
Exotic Web Tours humorous and strange sites to see with Juan Durfill's web armchair tours. Bring your own popcorn.

Bob's website offers Free Writing Resources and Illustrated Short Stories. Serenata creates the unique graphics for many of his articles and offers free web design tips.