Tiger, trying to look much taller than he really is

Quote of the day : “Our ancestors could make two types of mistakes: (1) thinking there was a tiger in the bushes when there wasn’t one, and (2) thinking there was no tiger in the bushes when there actually was one. The cost of the first mistake was needless anxiety, while the cost of the second one was death. Consequently, we evolved to make the first mistake a thousand times to avoid making the second mistake even once.”  – Rick Hanson,  “Hardwiring Happiness”

Most likely, we are the descendants of those that stuck with type-one mistakes, of course. The others mostly got eaten before they could reproduce.

Most of us in the privileged parts of the world do lead much safer lives, nowadays. However, we’re still genetically programmed for the jungle. Says Hanson:

 “…the default setting of the brain is to overestimate threats, underestimate opportunities, and underestimate resources  both for coping with threats and for fulfilling opportunities.”

Besides, some cultures discourage “risk taking” more than others; some of us are more anxious than others. And our painful, or even traumatic, life experiences seem to recommend holding back forever.

At what cost, though. Now that tigers are not hiding behind our houseplants, our soul is stuck with an obsolete alarm device.It goes off too often, too loud, and untimely. It keeps us from taking steps that we could safely take. Or it misses those signs of actual danger that are too subtle for our caveman brains but quite essential for survival in our world today.

If we don’t want to choose between a life underlived

and a life fulfilled at too high a price, we need to meet the conditions that allow for “safe adventure” in our more sophisticated world:

• Access to a “view from above”. Distance allows a much more realistic look at things – a more inclusive look, mostly unobstructed…
• Patient determination, paced progress. Go forward as fast as you wish or can, but always contain risk and energy investment. “Reverse plan” by very small steps, expect to execute only one step at a time.
• Support from others. Pay attention to how, and how much, you communicate with them. Develop your empathic powers. Listen to their dreams before you expect them to support you with yours
• Support for oneself. Save energy wherever possible; keep close to your typical sources of energy – be they mainly people, nature, sport, sufficient sleep, good food…
• …
• …
• What else?

Would love to hear from you!