The art of not panicking 😱

Apatheia: The state of calm en equanimity that comes with the abscence of irrational or extreme emotions.

When America was amidst the historical race to see who would be the first to send men into space, they chose to train their astronauts in a very particular way.

The program sought to teach the astronauts how not to panic.

The “art of no panicking” was a skill essential for the whole mission’s success. So much so that they made it a priority.

Why?

When people panic, they make mistakes. They become unresponsive and are not capable of thinking clearly.

This kind of situation may not be as bad when dealing with something simple like baking a cake, but when it comes to a mission into space, the stakes are much higher.

Unfortunately, astronauts didn’t have the same choice we have when dealing with complicated situations down here where we all crave to “sound the alarm” and let panic take over. Which is always easier than dealing with the problem at hand.

The difference is that in space, emotional regulation is a matter of life and death, unlike the miniscule problems we usually face which are merely an indulgence of our lesser self.

But the question remains:

• How do you deal with this?

Fortunately, unfamiliarity is simple to fix, though not easy. 

It’s all about exposure.

With enough exposure, we’re capable of teaching ourselves how to properly manage similar situations.

John Glenn, the first American astronaut to orbit earth spent nearly a day in space trying to keep his heart rate under a hundred beats per minute before going into the actual mission.

Martial artist know this as well. Mental training is as important as physical training, often times more.

Techniques such as vizualisation have proven to increase positive outcomes as well as increase the rate of learning for a variety of different activities.

But, we must keep one thing in mind.

Obstacles make us emotional, and the only way we’ll survive or overcome them is by keeping those emotions in check.

Yet, no one is telling you not to feel your emotions:

So, when facing a troublesome situation, ask yourself what American author Havin de Becker asked himself when dealing with similar situations:

It’s better to take your time and act wisely than precipitate and risk more than you should.