- Dialed In
- Posts
- calmness breeds chaos
“It’s always calm before the storm.”
This isn’t just a poetic observation about weather patterns; it's a reflection on life.
Consider the moments before a significant life event—everything seems peaceful, almost too quiet.
Then, suddenly, chaos erupts.
Has something like this ever happened to you?
You prepare all night for a presentation. You are full of confidence in the morning, the slides are ready, the pictures are accurate, and you are finally loosening your nerves.
Then as you get to presenting—the projector malfunctions.
The laptop battery dies.
All your talking points are below the slides, so you’ve got no clue where to start.
Chaos.
You were feeling like everything was under control seconds before.
Now, everything’s turned upside down. 🙃
The Illusion of Control
Life has a funny way of making it think you have got ‘control’.
We believe that because everything is peaceful, we have everything under control.
This false sense of security can lead to complacency.
When we are complacent, we are unprepared for sudden changes, making the ensuing chaos even more overwhelming.
Think about the story of the Titanic.
The ship was deemed "unsinkable," and this belief led to a sense of calm and overconfidence.
Lifeboats were insufficient, and safety drills were neglected.
When that iceberg hit, the chaos was magnified tenfold by the initial calmness and lack of preparation.
When we are calm, our guard is down.
All of your spidey senses are relaxing, ‘cause it does not expect anything to wrong.
Until it does.
The Paradoxical Solution
So, now that I have told you this common problem everyone faces, let me tell you the most common solution people often deploy.
Mind you, this solution does not actually solve anything.
Imagine a classroom, where a new teacher has just entered. Now, her goal is to try to establish systems in place and change everything from the existing process.
She goes all out, changing the way students submit their homeworks. She’s asking everyone to read a book a week, writing only using blue pens, having 1-on-1 check in’s with every student to make sure they’re on the right path.
She’s got the right idea, and in a few weeks everything seems to be going to plan—calm.
Then, the outburst.
A couple of students exhibit their frustration for the new methods, complaining about the lack of creativity and individualism due to micro-management.
In time, no one’s happy.
Everything spins out of control. And the last thing you want, is 40 unhappy teenagers.
Here is another example, from WW2.
In an attempt to control information during the war, British authorities imposed strict censorship on news regarding military operations.
This led to confusion and misinformation about troop movements, contributing to chaos in communication during critical moments of the war.
The more you try to control something, the more it becomes out of control.
Some things, accept that you can’t and most importantly—shouldn’t try to control.
It is kinda paradoxical if you think about it.
People try to calm things down and take a step back when shit hits the fan.
But it always feels like everything is going wrong at the same time, right?
You feel helpless.
But, I raise you an answer—accept and adapt.
Acceptance and Adaptability
Accept
Accept that whatever is happening, is happening. Accept that chaos is a part of life.
You cannot have the highs without the lows.
Mount Everest is only deemed the highest mountain in the world because there were other shorter peaks to compare to.
Chaos and Calmness—yin and yang. It’s a cycle.
The more we resist it, the more power we give it.
Through acceptance, give yourself a chance to remain more centered when disaster does strike.
Adapt
The more flexible we are, the better we can handle sudden changes.
This involves being open to new ideas, learning from experiences, and not being overly attached to routines.
That last point is where most of us find trouble.
You are so used to your bad routines and habits, that when you do finally have to break from them, you find such a hard time.
This is commonly seen in people who procrastinate doing the hard, but right things.
You know what you should do, but you don’t do it because you are scared and have never done it before.
Take that leap of faith. I promise you, you’ll be glad you did it.
Disorder is not a mistake; it is the default.
Order is always artificial and temporary.
Next time something goes wrong, compose yourself.
Composure. 🥷
Don’t sweat too hard trying to keep everything in line.
Learn to find the light in the dark.🏮
There is beauty behind the madness.
Have a beautiful week, you.
Reply