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This was Half Marathon #25
How to Deal with Trigger Anxiety — In Running and Business
Why do companies need visions, goals, processes, and task lists?
“Don’t overregulate us. We’re losing our edge as a startup. That’s why we work without all this big corp baggage.”
Sound familiar?
Here’s the problem: Startups often have plenty of activity… going nowhere. They’re busy, but not effective.
This morning, during the second half of my run, I listened to Joe Rogan’s conversation with Mark Zuckerberg. Joe talked about elk hunting in the mountains with a bow and arrow. After 11 days in the wilderness, he finally saw a target 75 yards (68.5 meters) away.
But here’s the challenge: it’s a long shot for someone who doesn’t practice consistently. That’s when trigger anxiety sets in — that psychological and physical hesitation that creeps up when the pressure to perform is at its peak. It’s performance anxiety disguised as overthinking, fear of missing, and the weight of inconsistent preparation.
Joe shared his solution: a consistent thought process. A simple, reliable routine that overrides the mental chatter. From my own experience, I’d add box breathing to calm the body while focusing on execution.
