Let’s talk about your pressure points. By this, I do not mean anything related to reflexology, although a session sounds really good to me about now. No, I am referring to those times when you’re under pressure just enough that you find it easier to focus.

Before you dismiss the idea that being under pressure can be beneficial, hear me out. Think back to a time when things began to get on top of you. You felt slightly stressed, but things were still manageable. You’d reached a pressure point.

Or what about the time you did an all-nighter to get your assignment done before it was due? Did being under pressure force you to get the job done and concentrate only on what you were doing?

Pressure points can do wonders for helping us up our game, but they’re often seen as negative things. I think what happens is people confuse pressure points with breaking points. Breaking points are when you reach a physical or meta-physical plain where you just cannot go any further. There’s no going past it unless you make changes. With pressure points, you can still keep going and make progress doing what you’ve already been doing.

The question then becomes, how do you know when you’ve reached your pressure point, and that you’re not just confusing it with a breaking point?

Pressure Points Vs Breaking Points

Here are some sure fire signs which can demonstrate you’ve reached the point where a touch of pressure increases your productivity. You’re:

• Stressed but you can still think straight
• Moving forward and making progress with what you’ve already been doing
• Able to understand that what you’re feeling isn’t permanent
• Willing and able to keep on keeping on

In comparison, a breaking point feels like you’re:

• Stuck with nowhere to go
• Everything seems impossible
• You need to try something different to get the job done
• You want to give up and throw the towel in on the task
• Feeling like this is the end of all your hopes and dreams for the task

 Now I’m not saying that either of these points are comfortable, nor do they wrap you in a warm fuzzy blanket. One is definitely worse than the other, but I’m still maintaining that pressure points are good for you in the short term. Obviously if the problem keeps growing and you’re not making progress, then it could have escalated into a breaking point.

Whatever point you’re at, remember that help is always available. If it’s business related help you need, I’m ready and waiting for you to contact me. I offer my clients a range of business and accountability services to help solve their problems, and look forward to finding out about and helping you solve yours shortly.