Deciding under pressure: what expeditions teach us about entrepreneurship
As an expedition leader, nature is my habitat. Wind, rain, sun, and silence bring me peace. I barely feel the impact of external stressors. Even hypothermia, sleep deprivation, or hunger have become familiar to me. I feel like a fish in water.
At home, it's different. In our company, we as founders combine strategic work with operational responsibilities. Just like during an expedition, the task package evolves constantly. Only here, it's not the weather that changes, but the market, the team, or the timing. New challenges keep arising that demand speed and sharpness. They create pressure. They cause stress. Even then, you must stay sharp, make decisions with limited information, and at the same time bring calm to your surroundings.
During our expeditions, we teach participants how to check in with themselves. How to manage stress. How to support others. I also apply those same techniques at home - in my own quest for balance.
The impact of stress
In extreme stress, our body switches to 'fight or flight'. Adrenaline peaks, the heart rate accelerates, muscles tense up, and our focus sharpens. This response can be life-saving in the face of physical threats - but is rarely relevant in daily life.
It leads to tunnel vision: you fixate on one problem and no longer see the bigger picture. You keep mopping with the tap running. Or panic: emotions take over the steering wheel, logic disappears. You opt for the comfortable, not the sensible. And your working memory shrinks: you need more time and effort to process information.
Stress as a teacher
Stress is part of challenging contexts. But we can train to cope with it better. To remain rational under pressure. This requires focus, repetition, and above all: acceptance of the process.
Everyone moves between three zones: the comfort zone, the stretch zone, and the panic zone. The right techniques help you not only to avoid panic but also to perform at your best under pressure.
Visualisation (preliminary)
Close your eyes and see yourself calm, in control. You respond relaxed, speak with confidence, and achieve your goal. By practising this mentally, you increase the likelihood of acting this way effectively. Visualisation counts as mental preparation and as experience.
Breathing (during)
Conscious breathing lowers your heart rate and calms your nervous system. Ideal as a first reflex in times of anxiety and stress.
Communication (support)
Calm communication brings peace. Speak slower, softer, simpler. It’s not what you say that matters most, but how.
Paradigm's
A paradigm is how you view the world - often unconsciously. By consciously directing it, you influence how you think, feel, and act.
Step by step
- Focus on the next achievable action. One step at a time.
Optimism
Consciously look at the positive. This creates a lighter, more resilient environment.
Letting go
Pain, fatigue, disagreements, chaos - it's all part of it. By accepting what you cannot control, you save energy.
A business is like an expedition
Expedition skills are not a metaphor. They are concretely applicable: in your meeting room, your inbox, and your leadership. Every business is like an expedition - with uncertainties, obstacles, and moments of high pressure. The better you learn to cope with stress in nature, the stronger you become as an entrepreneur.
Do you want to learn more about how to perform better under pressure and how to elevate your leadership to the next level? Discover more via the link below.