A Case for Welcoming Stress
And why our brain isn't for thinking
In her book 7 and ½ Lessons about the Brain, Lisa Feldman Barrett writes that the brain is not for thinking. Thinking is a side effect that we experience as humans. Rather, the purpose of a brain is to manage the complex interactions that our body is constantly undergoing.
With each passing second, the brain is predicting what’s happening in the external environment, monitoring the body’s internal resources, and deploying them as needed. It’s an ongoing act of regulation.
So when the brain predicts a challenge ahead, and you start to feel your heart race, your breathing increase, sweaty palms, having to use the bathroom, or some pre-performance jitters—recognize that as the body preparing for action, deploying the necessary resources for you to perform at your best.
We are often taught that stress is a hindrance to performance, and in extreme cases, it can be. But welcoming these bodily responses can be far more beneficial than trying to suppress them.
