We have all been there. Operating from a place where we just put one foot in front of the other and force ourselves to keep moving forward. There are times in work when things have lost their shine, the passion is waning and it feels like a grind. Not every day can be roses and sunshine and sometimes surviving is a space we sit in briefly.

Dan Carter calls this “Staying in the Game”. Plagued with injuries in 2013, Dan was in survival mode, forcing himself to continue to stay focused and keep meeting the small goals he set for himself each day. In his latest book “The Art of Winning”, he says that survival mode is just as important as any other mode.

When it's tough, a grind, and you can’t see the wood for the trees, you’ve just got to get up and show up. Whether it's showing up to see what jobs are on offer, facing a two-hour drive to get to work, or delivering a presentation, it’s about placing one foot in front of the other, and just doing the mahi.

The word “flourishing” is used in realms of positive psychology, but sometimes in reality, some days, it can feel like an elusive dream.

Survival is also a space…for the short term.

As a transitional space, it means doing what you need to do until you can get the space or support needed to move towards living. Most of us have navigated this space, and unfortunately, in our current climate, for too many people, it is what is called “living”.

During times of survival, we can experience

Stress Hormone Release
Increased Heart Rate
Elevated Blood Pressure
Muscle Tension
Shallow Breathing
Heightened Alertness or hypervigilance
Dilated Pupils
Digestive Changes
Reduced Immune Function
Mental and Emotional Strain
Sleep Disturbances
Burnout
Impact on Relationships
Reduced Job Satisfaction

One thing Dan Carter did to navigate through this was to set mini goals for himself and focus on the process. He set daily goals for himself and concentrated on achieving them, one step at a time. Giving into “surviving” and not showing up, he said, can lead to freefall, where you have lost any control over your destiny. It is about getting up, and showing up until you move from survival to living again.