BACKlikeWEneverLEFT

As the presidential election is knocking on our doors, I thought about how much pressure is surrounding this election. Pressure for the candidates and pressure for the voters.  It’s probably an equal amount on both sides of the fence.  Everyone involved is anticipating the outcome .  Looking into the complexities of this election, and given many of the things people deal with on an everyday basis; I really wanted to focus on the concept of pressure.  Scientifically speaking the definition of pressure is the effect of a force applied to a surface.  Relatively simple, then a few old heads came up ways to measure pressure in different terms, blah blah blah.  As I look at life in general, and reflect on conversations recently had; I have really been looking how people tend handle pressure.  The thought of pressure is viewed as both a positive and a negative thing.  The phrases most commonly associated are one of two things, “pressure busts pipes” or “pressure makes diamonds.”

What do both mean? Looking at the first ‘pressure busts pipes’  it’s pretty self-explanatory.  Too much pressure caused everything to break, things are too much to shoulder.  The second part of that statement ‘pressure makes diamonds,’ applies to the thought that something good can come out of intense pressure.  Sometimes people, who are appointed leaders, tend to fold under pressure, other times they rise to the occasion.  The real person will show their true colors when the situation arises.  An everyday example of this is sports, it happens all the time.  Some people want to be the go to person in the toughest situation, others may shy away.  There is no telling how one will respond, when everything is on that person’s shoulders.

With that being said, understand that pressure molds character.  Anything that is worth having, comes a long with some type of pressure to over come.   There are ways to prepare yourself though.  Find a support system, people who have been through the same pressures you are currently or will be facing.  Find out how they over came, or for the matter how they didn’t.   Figure out your own weaknesses, so you can turn them into strengths.  Pressure will present itself at some of your weakest moments, so understand where your breaking point is.  Learn how to bounce back, which might be the hardest part.  I had to learn, still learning how to bounce back from things.  With sports it’s easy you are only as good as your last game.  Unfortunately life is not that simple, you have several factors to constantly remind you.  People chastise you for not performing when the heat was high.  Many times you are under scrutiny and nobody even knows why, just for you being you.

Sometimes you have to father the load we call life.  Looking forward to the results of this election, think about what you define as pressure.  Really think about the amount of pressure the President of the USA has to bear.  As you look into that thought, make the right decision for who you believe can handle pressure effectively.  Often times, people have not idea who will do what until the situation actually arises.  Even the toughest of people can lose their cool in an unfamiliar situations.  Figure out where you stand, make things happen.  But it’s almost decision-making time, let me go see if I can form some diamonds.