Never overreact. Take a breath, make a plan and stick to it.
Here’s today’s tip: Never overreact. Take a breath, make a plan and stick to it.
Whether in politics specifically or life generally, overreaction can turn a benign situation into a catastrophe. As a candidate or campaign manager, your patience and attention are frequently pushed to the limit. Consequently, when that limit is passed, tempers often flare and less than judicious decisions are made.
Train yourself to feel the precursors of anger or frustration. Establish a trigger. For me, it’s often a taste in my mouth and a tightening of my chest. Perhaps accompanied by a, “are you effing serious?!” in the back of my head.
When I feel that reaction boiling up, I know that my lesser angels are jettisoning my plan and overreacting out of anger.
Instead, it’s important that you detach, even if only for a moment, and establish true north. If act without knowing the way up, you’ll further your perilous situation.
What you’re facing at this moment is analogous to vertigo. It’s like being pushed underwater by a wave and not knowing which way is up. If you automatically start to swim in the direction you assume to be up, your impulse could prove fatal. On the other hand, pausing to watch the direction of the bubbles floating upward could save your life.
A brief pause, breaking from the chaos, can allow your brain to clear and process your situation more clearly. Few situations in your campaign, or life more broadly, will require an absolutely immediate response. So use every moment and make certain that your attitude and course are true.
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