How to deal with a toxic person/environment?
One of the low-class tactics used in the game of cricket is ‘Sledging’. It is a devious practise where some players deliberately insult or verbally intimidate the opposing player. This is mainly to weaken the opponent’s focus, thereby causing them to underperform or be more prone to commit mistakes.
If a batsman falls into that trap, they will be on the verge of losing their wicket. When it comes to sledging, one thing Sachin Tendulkar is known for is to remain calm. Sledging hasn’t bothered him much on the 22 yards pitch as he chose to respond rather than react to such players.
He has always responded by remaining calm and not furious or agitated.
Everyone faces sledging often in the day to day life too. It is done to spoil our peace of mind and we cannot have control over such toxic people who do it intentionally. You cannot stop a person from criticizing you or a batsman in cricket cannot tell the opponent team player to stop sledging. At times things will definitely be out of our control which cannot be brought under our control.
For instance, a batsman who is batting on the crease might expect an in-swinging ball. The bowler could also bowl an in-swinging ball. However, with just one gush of wind, an in-swinging ball can become an out-swinging ball.
Or when it comes to the examination question paper, do we have control over what questions will be asked?
Of course not!
So, given any situation, all that’s of utmost importance is how we prepare our mind to deal with it, that too in a responsive manner.
Statistics say that 70% of the human mind revolves around things that are out of our control. So it would really be a great skill if we emphasize learning the masterstroke of responding and not reacting to any toxic scenario or person.
In the journey of life, two things will certainly happen. One is the stimulus of life that encompasses the circumstance, difficult situation, conflicts, fear etc and the other one is the result. In the middle of these two comes our choices and these choices play a significant role in how the result will shape up.
In a nutshell, although Sachin Tendulkar did not have any control over the players who tried to sledge him, he was always prepared on how to deal with them. He opted to remain calm and stay focused which became a response in itself.
Usually, when things go wild in the form of sledging us, criticizing us, being demeaned, envious of us, conspiring us, politicking etc., we are most likely to react like a tin of coke (when jiggled). Jiggling a tin of coke and opening it instantly, results in the liquid fuming out in a fraction of seconds. Whereas, when the same is done to a sealed bottle of water, the water appears to subside at the earliest possible and responds by being calm when the lid is opened.
Now it’s our choice whether to be a Coca Cola tin or an Oxy Cool bottle of water.
Likewise, all have seen our captain cool (MS Dhoni) in a lot of pressure situations. After his birth, the nurse didn’t hand over him to his mother saying, here is our captain cool MS Dhoni :P
MS Dhoni wasn’t created in the maternity ward. He became Captain Cool by his choices.
Thus, a great personality is born only based on the choices they make in life. So to lead a peaceful life it’s high time to respond and not react to all the toxic obstacles.
It is better late than never!
