Thriving in Chaos
Chaos gets a bad rep.
It’s seen as something that should be avoided.
But is this true?
What about in an alternate reality where chaos is rewarded?
Well, I guess we are living in an alternate reality.
Because chaos is rewarded.
From muscles to businesses, to innovation…
All greatness is born by thriving in chaos.
Why the poor narrative regarding it?
Because all things have a poor narrative depending on the angle that it’s being looked in from.
Thrive in chaos.
Invite it in willingly.
And evolve to a new state.
Destruction
People are creatures of habit.
The ability to do a certain task without any further conscious thought means it has become a habit.
Brushing your teeth, typing, driving, etc.
These are acts that are good to have automated.
Imagine if you had to think intently every time you had to brush your teeth.
No thank you.
Despite the automation of tasks being a good thing….
It can also be a deadly thing.
‘Why do you say that?’
Because too much automation leads to complacency.
The brain likes comfort.
But the same desire for comfort is the same reason why someone gets stuck in the comfort zone.
The zone where no growth takes place.
That’s when some destruction is needed.
Why Introduce Chaos?
Destruction sounds scary.
And you may be picturing one of those old-school cartoons where a cat blows up a building with a stick of dynamite.
It’s not quite that serious.
Destruction in the world of neural pathways & cognitive efficiency comes down to:
- Doing something new.
- Or adding in uncomfortable repetitions to something old.
Something new can be picking up a task that you have little to no experience in.
This automatically introduces a level of chaos.
Adding in uncomfortable repetitions to an old task will also introduce chaos.
Like how you normally plan a speech for a few days.
But now you’re setting the intention to have the whole speech created in a day.
Scratch that…in a couple of minutes.
That’s chaos.
This chaos leads to something great.
‘What does this chaos lead to?’
A new you.
Why Chaos leads to Evolution
There are many definitions for art & there are many definitions for artists.
One of the definitions for an artist on Google is:
A person skilled at a particular task or occupation.
This is a very different definition than many were probably expecting.
When I was young, my definition of an artist introduced the image of a guy painting.
Thought the only way to be an artist was to draw or paint.
However, that was a limited perception.
The true definition is a highly skilled individual.
Now the next question…what is art?
I see a lot of definitions on Google.
But I don’t like them.
What I do like is:
Art = Structured Chaos
What composes of that chaos?
That can depend.
- It can be due to introducing the new uncomfortable reps.
- The chaos can be born thru dark emotions.
- Chaos can be introduced by starting a new field…etc.
But from my lens, chaos is interwoven into art.
With the definition of an artist being a highly-skilled individual, everyone should strive to be an artist.
At least in one or many fields.
And it can truly be any field.
Family, storytelling, business, basketball, etc.
When someone fails to introduce artistry into their life, that’s when sadness & anxiety starts creeping in.
The inner greatness wants more.
It wants to seek expression.
Therefore, go on…
Give it expression.
How to Start Thriving In Chaos For Dummies
- Where do you go from here?
- What’s the next step?
Well, this can be the beginning of you introducing chaos at THIS moment.
Rather than expecting a response from me on those 2 questions.
Answer them yourself.
Where do you go from here?
And what are your next steps?
Think about it.
It really comes down to changing something up.
Maybe it’s a daily routine.
Or maybe it’s introducing a new variable to your day.
The mind is much more inclined to participate in voluntary chaos when it knows the rewards.
And the rewards are enhanced skills in a given craft.
If you’re someone going thru a tough time right now…Let’s say a rock bottom.
Then surprisingly, this is good news.
The ability to work thru tough emotions is a form of chaos.
And the ability to rise above this chaos builds consistency into the future.
My Example with Chaos
So one example of myself introducing chaos came down to impromptu speaking.
I was doing public speaking in the Tampa area, doing some talks & emceeing different events.
This was an enjoyable process.
However, a part of me thought about approaching these talks with no notes.
By building the ability to think fast.
At first, the limiting thoughts of:
-No, you need notes all the time.
-Your memory isn’t strong like that.
-Don’t be lazy.
Started to come to me.
However, I decided to practice impromptu speaking.
Started a YouTube channel that was built on the back of impromptu speaking.
Topics that I cover are related to communication skills.
And I consistently put out videos, exercising my memory, logic, articulation & impromptu muscle.
Over time, this skillset started to feel more comfortable.
In the initial stages, it was a pain in the ass.
You’ll be surprised how much physical pain is felt building impromptu speaking skills.
-The head hurts.
–Breathing patterns need to be managed so the voice doesn’t break.
-And there are tons of muscle spasms doing a talk without interruption.
However, eventually, my mind & body adjusted to the chaos.
And nowadays, when I get invited to do a talk, I feel much more confident to take it.
Before, I would need a minimum of a 1-week heads up for a talk.
Nowadays, a same-day talk is not out of the ordinary.
Thriving in chaos in this situation is still an iterative process.
And that process of iteration is what keeps everything unpredictable & interesting.
Thriving in Chaos like a Winner
Overall, chaos is a part of the game.
By choosing to avoid chaos, you still invite chaos.
The dark narrative with this situation though is when chaos comes…
You’ll be rattled.
You’ll be like ‘damn, I wasn’t expecting that! What the fuck?’
Negative perception.
On the flipside, by intentionally introducing chaos to your life now, the game changes.
It’s more about building micro reps of destruction.
This conditions a positive perception towards unpredictability.
Then when unpredictability outside of your control is introduced…
There is this strange composure.
Others around you are looking at you puzzled.
‘How is this guy so composed?’
But you know.
You’ve been preparing for this.
Preparing like an artist who takes their craft seriously.
Straight poise…
Showtime.
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– ArmaniTalks 
