Optimize With Brian Johnson | More Wisdom In Less Time

Way back in the early days of our +1 Optimizing together, we talked about the fact that our limbic systems evolved to deal with a single lion roaring at us at a time.    As we said in that little chat on Lions vs. Jungles, that lion’s roar triggers a fight or flight response. We fight or we flee. And, hopefully, we live to talk about the tale later.    But, the important thing to note is that the stress from that event, although extremely acute, is also extremely short-lived. We respond to the challenge and move on. Our nervous system resets itself, all good.   These days, we’re so bombarded with stimuli that it’s as if, to use Alberto Villoldo’s metaphor, the ENTIRE JUNGLE is roaring at us ALL DAY EVERY DAY.   Yikes.   The result?    A whole lot of enervated anxiety.   Today I want to talk about the single best predictor of people’s fear and anxiety.    Pop quiz: Can you guess what it is?   We’ll find the answer at the end of this little passage from Kelly McGonigal’s The Upside of Stress.