In situations where we anticipate a high level of stress and anxiety and a low level of personal gain there is a tendency to measure success by 'just getting through it' or 'surviving'. This is a fixed end point goal that we can’t measure, except in retrospect (so we won't know how we're doing).

This can make us miserable to be around.

However, if we are able to stay actively aware of our mental baseline  we can recognise and intercept negative and anxiety inducing thought patterns before they overtake us.

The key to making this work is Situational awareness, a concept which has its origins in aviation and is sometimes described as ‘flying ahead of the aeroplane’.

It’s a conscious process and depends on making a decision to actively notice certain elements of the environment, be they hazards or opportunities.

We can repurpose its core concepts (Goals, Baseline, Questions, Actions) to provide a useful and fluid picture of what’s going on in our head.

It’s a bit like being able to read your own mind.