Today is January 22 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is: "Do you think about your three possible selves?"  Those who navigate the chaos understand the concept of three possible selves introduced by Hazel Rose Markus and Paula Nurius: the ideal self that we would like to become, that we could become, and that we are afraid of becoming. “To suggest that there is a single self to which one ‘can be true’ or an authentic self that one can know is to deny the rich network of potential that surrounds individuals.” Joan Didion echoed similar sentiment: "I have already lost touch with a couple of people I used to be.” Have you lost touch with your previous self in order to become your future self?

Today is January 21 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is "Are you, or do you want to be, a greater fool?" In the final episode of The Newsroom (Season 1, 2013) the term ‘greater fool’ was used to describe the show's main character, Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels), because of his belief in doing "real news." Throughout the episode, Will views it as a negative term. However, financial reporter Sloan Sabbith (Olivia Munn) tells Will, "The greater fool is someone with the perfect blend of self-delusion and ego to think that he can succeed where others have failed. This whole country was made by greater fools.” Do you have the perfect blend of self-delusion and ego to think that you can succeed where others have failed? 

Today is January 20 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is "How compassionate are you towards others?" Navigating the chaos demands that you demonstrate compassion towards others; especially those who are less fortunate or disagree with you. Adyashanti wrote “Enlightenment can be measured by how compassionately you interact with others - not just those who support you. How you interact with those who do not support you shows how enlightened you really are. As long as you perceive that anyone is holding you back, you have not taken full responsibility for your own liberation. Liberation means that you stand free of making demands on others and life to make you happy.” 

Today is January 19 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is: "Why are you doing what you are doing?" Legend has it that during the construction of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, architect Sir Christopher Michael Wren asked three stonecutters what each one was doing. The first one said “I am cutting a stone!” The second stone mason told Wren “I am cutting this block of stone to make sure that it is square, and its dimensions are uniform, so that it will fit exactly in its place.” The third stone mason said “I am helping to build a great cathedral.” This stone mason clearly understood why he was doing what he was doing. Why are you doing what you are doing? 

Today is January 18 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is "How often do you choke under pressure?"  Navigating the chaos eventually means at some point you will have to deal with a pressure situation. Professor Geir Jordet examined film footage of almost 400 kicks from penalty shootouts during major soccer tournaments and found that players need to take their time. Jordet timed exactly how long players took to place the ball on the penalty spot. Those who took less than a second scored 58% of the time, compared with 80% when they took longer than a second. Winston Churchill noted “You can measure a man's character by the choices he makes under pressure.” 

Today is January 17 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is "Do you embrace excitement or remain calm?" Those who navigate the chaos understand the value of excitement. Researcher Alison Wood Brooks recruited 140 people to give a speech. She told part of the group to relax and repeat the phrase “I am calm,” while the others were told to embrace their anxiety and tell themselves, “I am excited.” Members of both groups were still nervous before the speech, but participants who told themselves “I am excited” felt better able to handle the pressure, were more confident of their ability to give a compelling talk, and received higher approval ratings from the audience. 

Today is January 16 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is "How often do you see the benefits of stress?" Stanford University health psychologist Kelly McGonigal wrote The Upside of Stress: Why Stress is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It. She declared that people can develop healthier outlooks as well as improve performance on cognitive tests, at work, and in competition. Stress can either be beneficial (adaptive) or harmful (threatening) according to the latest research. William James noted “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” How often do you recognize the benefits from stress?

Today is January 15 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is "What deep survival traits do you have?"  When confronted with a life-threatening situation, 90% of people freeze or panic while the remaining 10% stay cool, focused, and alive. In Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies and Why, Laurence Gonzales uncovers the biological and psychological reasons people risk their lives and why some are better at it than others. Remaining calm and taking correct and decisive action are just two of the deep survival traits Gonzales discusses. What deep survival traits do you have and how often do you practice them?

Today is January 14 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is Do you have the courage required to manage fear? Professor Gerd Gigerenzer estimated an additional 1,595 Americans died in car accidents in the year after the 9/11 attacks. He used trends in road and air use to suggest that, for a period of 12 months after 9/11 there was a temporary increase in road use before citizens again became more willing to fly at similar rates before the attacks. Gigerenzer ascribed the extra deaths to people’s poor understanding of danger. Mark Twain noted “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear.” Do you have the courage required to manage fear? 

Today is January 13 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is How long will you wait to change your life? Arthur Boorman served as a paratrooper and sustained injuries that left him unable to walk without the aid of crutches. He sunk into a deep depression and his weight ballooned to 300lbs. After stumbling upon Yoga for Regular Guys DVD by Diamond Dallas Page he spent ten months practicing yoga and ultimately lost 140lbs. Arthur mentioned that “a lot of people contact me looking for some magic pill to help them get motivated to lose weight but there is no such thing.” Boorman waited over 15 years to change his life. How long will you wait to change your life?