Originally discovered by the great Harvard physiologist Walter Cannon, this response is hard-wired into our brains and represents a genetic wisdom designed to protect us from bodily harm. This response actually corresponds to an area of our brain called the hypothalamus, which—when stimulated—initiates a sequence of nerve cell firing and chemical release that prepares our body for running or fighting.

When our fight or flight system is activated, we tend to perceive everything in our environment as a possible threat to our survival. By its very nature, the fight or flight system bypasses our rational mind—where our more well thought out beliefs exist—and moves us into "attack" mode. This state of alert causes us to perceive almost everything in our world as a possible threat to our survival. As such, we tend to see everyone and everything as a possible enemy.

Bottom line

This is a inbuilt system to help us face the extraordinary circumstances. It releases the extra energy required to face the circumstances.

In My equation, it triggers the emotional level to tap the energy ….

Our fear is exaggerated.

Our thinking is distorted.

We see everything through the filter of possible danger.

We narrow our focus to those things that can harm us.

Fear becomes the lens through which we see the world.

We can begin to see how it is almost impossible to cultivate positive attitudes and beliefs when we are stuck in survival mode. Our heart is not open. Our rational mind is disengaged. Our consciousness is focused on fear, not love. Making clear choices and recognizing the consequences of those choices is unfeasible. We are focused on short-term survival, not the long-term consequences of our beliefs and choices. When we are overwhelmed with excessive stress, our life becomes a series of short-term emergencies. We lose the ability to relax and enjoy the moment. We live from crisis to crisis, with no relief in sight.

Burnout is inevitable.

The reality is

Our fight or flight response is designed to protect us during emergency.

When our actual physical survival is threatened, there is no greater response to have on our side. When activated, the fight or flight response causes a surge of adrenaline and other stress hormones to pump through our body. This surge is the force responsible for mothers lifting cars off their trapped children and for firemen heroically running into blazing houses to save endangered victims. The surge of adrenaline imbues us with heroism and courage at times when we are called upon to protect and defend the lives and values we cherish.

This is where the “I” factor or EGO starts playing as spoilsport

It keeps on triggering the emotional level, even when there is no danger, sometime on daily basis.

When we are faced with modern day, we have to sit in our office and "control ourselves” in competitive world

We have to sit in traffic and "deal with it."

We have to wait until the bank opens to "handle" the bounced check

In short, many of such small issues trigger the full activation of our fight or flight response, causing us to become aggressive, hyper vigilant and over-reactive.

This constant triggering is the root cause of our misery and failure in our life .

Learn how to tackle this “I” factor and you win the game called life