August 2, 2021

Grab a wire coat hanger and…

wire-clothes-hangers-blue

Apply a small force to a straight piece of wire and it will bend. Remove the force, and it returns to being straight. You can do this many times and the wire stays straight.

Now apply a greater force. When the force is big enough, the wire ‘gives way’. In engineering terms, it goes ‘plastic’ and deforms. Now when you release the force, the wire remains bent to some degree. The springier the wire, the more force it can withstand and still return to being straight.

When you are challenged or under pressure, you are under stress. That is, you are subject to an external force or stressor. How well you cope with that stressor, whether you deal with it or give way, depends on your level of mental toughness, your ‘springiness’.

Have a look at this explanation of what gives you ‘springiness’. (And try the above experiment for real with a paper clip or a wire coat hanger).

If you think you are stressed, you can improve your mental toughness and/or you can deal with the stressors you are experiencing.

Here are some tips for dealing with life’s stressors.

My best wishes, Paul

Paul Matthews

CEO and Founder of People Alchemy

share this article:

One Response

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

related posts

The Learning Network Member Spotlight: Paul Matthews

Thanks to the Learning Network for featuring Paul on their Member Spotlight this month. “We still learn the same way ...
Read More

All I can do now, is all I can do now

Acceptance of an overfull to-do list is the first step in handling it. Railing against it won’t help; doing so ...
Read More
L&D Disrupt podcast with Paul Matthews cover image

L&D’s biggest challenges: shifting from content overload to real behaviour change

Paul is back on the L&D Disrupt podcast: in this new episode host Nelson Sivalingam and Paul dig deep into ...
Read More
Man stepping over a white line. Walking across the start line representing business and life start up concept. Top view.

Take that step

“As you start to walk on the way, the way appears. Clarity doesn’t come before action. It comes from action.” ...
Read More

search blog

Get your free weekly tip

You agree that we can keep a record of your details, and send you other occasional offers. See our Privacy Policy