Why a crisis is fun

You don’t believe the headline? Well it’s true. A crisis gives you one of the best highs you can get from nature’s own superdrug – adrenaline. 

Sure, it’s very stressful at the time, but it’s a stress we enjoy. 

It brings out the animal instinct in all of us: to defend our territory against all attacks. It makes us feel good. 

For example, for the last months, the UK’s members of parliament have been locked in a crisis trying to decide what to do about Brexit. Are they enjoying it? 

No. They’re lovin’ it – beats a Big Mac any day. 

Are the European leaders: Barnier, Tusk, Marcon, Merkel, Juncker et al enjoying it? Constantly in front of the media – it’s a politicians’ dream come true. 

In a crisis, you have to be able to think fast and on your feet. No time for long-winded plans or boring documents. You are being hounded and you must react. 

And when you get a respite, the feeling is that of firefighters and now they are being relieved by another crew. Dusty, tired, battle-hardened, they walk to the cheers of the crowd for a job well done in the most difficult of circumstance. It’s a great feeling. 

And when you’re in crisis mode, you can abandon all your work plans. You can leave that over-flowing inbox, abandon that boring meeting that HR have called and stop writing that tedious strategy. 

Managing a crisis is certainly better than having to work. 

So, enjoy it. 

Tom Curtin