Too Much Aggression

You might assume that life in Special Forces is pretty aggressive…

After all, you spend a fair amount of time blowing stuff up and kicking in doors!

And you would be right, aggression is needed, but not in the way you think.

It must be controlled!

When called for, applying ‘focused force’ was essential for success.

This isn’t blind rage, or emotion driven anger – which are counterproductive.

It’s the purposeful application of force applied in a strategic manner to achieve a specific outcome.

A small amount of controlled aggression can be helpful – too much is harmful.

Why am I telling you this?

Well, according to a recent New York Times article –

People who drink moderate amounts of coffee, 1.5 to 3.5 cups a day, are 30% less likely to die than non-coffee drinkers.

Leaving aside who on earth drinks 0.5 of a cup of coffee…

It raises an interesting proposition.

If drinking some coffee has beneficial effects, would double the amount of coffee lead to double the benefits?

Would 3 to 7 cups mean you were 60% less likely to die?

And would 6 to 14 cups make you immortal?

The answer is obviously not. 

In fact, you’re going to see a negative effect once you hit a certain tipping point.

In almost every aspect of life even good things can become bad if they’re excessive.

• Some exercise is good but overtraining can lead to fatigue & injury.

• Some rest and relaxation is essential but too much makes you bored and lazy.

• Working hard is positive but letting work come home will cause stress & unhappiness.

It also applies to your character!

A good dose of self-confidence will make you an effective leader…

But, overconfident or highly narcissistic leaders are arrogant and prone to move to the dark side.

Being kind and generous is good for the world – being afraid to say ‘no’ will allow others to take advantage of you.

Takeaway Tactic

To reach your potential and feel happy you must find the sweet spot in all of your efforts and endeavours.

The point that brings you the most satisfaction.

This will take practice and self-awareness and you won’t always get it right.

When I started a business I fell into the trap of hustling hard, going fast, and doing whatever it takes to get ‘there’.

But I quickly realised I was missing out on happiness in the present in hopes of making it to that future destination ASAP.

Drive and purpose must be balanced with health and happiness.

Think of it as “success at the speed of satisfaction.” 

Keep one foot grounded in safety and one foot stepping into the unknown and you will find that sweet spot of satisfaction.