How long can you hold your breath underwater?

Tending bar as a poor college student at the University of Arizona shortly after the 1980’s farm crisis, I met this character who at the time was a farrier and in a past life was a member of Seal Team One.  He used to tell me, among other things, that even in his ripe old age he could hold his breath underwater longer than I could in my youth and virility. No doubt, it had more to do with our individual mind sets than physical ability. His grit could overcome any obstacles and sometimes it was for only a second longer. 

Fast forward to Christmas 2017, Utila Honduras where teenage daughters and I (pictured above) challenged ourselves by taking a free-diving course with Free-dive Utila

Your heartbeat slows while your body learns to trust the experience,

and the mind remembers what it always knew.

We learned to overcome the perceived mental and physical limitations and eventually descended from the surface to nearly 100’ on one breath, which could take up to 2 minutes. Others (these were not Olympians by any stretch) were holding their breath for up to 4 or 5 minutes. The impossible was now within reach and the biggest hurdle we now realize was our mindset.

Managing your mindset.

I am reminded of these events considering the COVID-19 pandemic (not our first and certainly not our last), the impossible, we are all facing. Doing my best to ignore the fear mongering, recognizing we simply don’t know what we don’t know - and to keep a positive outlook, searching and focusing on the unintended benefits of such a challenge – managing my mindset.  All the while wondering if I, and as our industry or our beloved nation are prepared to hold our breath for as long as necessary. I think we are!

I have great pride in our nation and our industry. I embrace the challenge, knowing full well there will be suffering and challenges. But I choose to actively focus on some of the opportunities for all of us to be better.

Convenience vs. Necessities: The conveniences we have come to enjoy and expect are not necessities.  Do we really need 45,000 SKU’s in our grocery stores?

Finding Solutions: Being inconvenienced isn’t all that bad.  We will appreciate the luxuries more and take less for granted. In the process we will find solutions we otherwise would not have considered. Example – What to do with potatoes that have no home?

Leveraging Opportunities: Unknowns become knowns and for the right mindset they can become opportunities.  My oldest daughter, fresh out of college didn’t lose her job, she lost both. We have bonded more than ever, and she has refined her skills operating a backhoe. Our relationships, not just with family but with vendors, neighbors and customers can reach new depths.

Personal Responsibility: We are finding our own grit, becoming nimbler and questioning things we wouldn’t have otherwise. We now think critically about the sources of information, our supply chains and food security/imports. Our friends at Aimpoint Research excel at war-games, helping prepare us for these black swan type of highly disruptive events. We need to do more of this, question more and train regularly for these unlikely events.

Recognition:  So many people go unfairly, unrecognized. Our deepest appreciation to the front-line employees and those that keep this Country rolling despite the adversity.  And for those who are re-purposing their businesses for the greater good. Thanks for paying it forward.

The unknown is scary. Free-diving with your most precious assets is scary. A virus that has disrupted every person in the country is scary. These kinds of vulnerabilities expose lessons that need to be learned, processes that need to be changed, and behaviors that will no longer be acceptable. However, with the right mindset, and looking at the situation to find ways to be better will help our breathhold.