Idiots are invincible

Dr Ro

Before we venture too far into this book, too, I suggest we engage in some training for our minds. Unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier, a single reading or a week of practice may not suffice to apply all of the good ideas that you will be exposed to here. They have to become habits and part of your way of life. You also need to hang out with the right people, those who will help you stay on the straight and narrow, when things get tough. Because, while I cannot guarantee that things will always run smooth, I can certainly guarantee that setbacks are inevitable.

Some of you may well wonder:

“Can we really learn psychological skills so as to feel better when things are not the way we would like them to be?”

I am confident that you will learn a number of valuable techniques and enjoy the reading. Go ahead, turn the pages, and flick through the book for a brief preview. No, do not read the end yet! For some reason, a lot of readers (including me) are tempted to do so. Resist the impulse!

THE WAY FORWARD

The book is divided into three parts. The first part is rather more theoretical, and as such, slightly “heavier” that the other two. All parts fit together though and, as I have already advised you, should preferably be read consecutively. More specifically …

Part I: A little theory

The first part offers a definition of stress, refers to the main sources of stress (which include “the idiots” in our life), and examines whether personality traits are related to the way individuals perceive and experience stress. The effects of excessive stress on physical and psychological health are discussed next.

Part II: Coping with stress

The second part distinguishes between healthy and unhealthy responses to stress and presents the basic principles of stress management.

You can’t stop the birds of worry from flying over your head – but you can keep them from building their nest in your hair. – Martin Luther King

Although we cannot get rid of anxiety and negative emotions, we can reduce their frequency, intensity, and duration.

This section introduces the “Ro”² method, a simple yet sophisticated problem-solving formula that can help you deal with annoying people, situations, and your own thoughts. Ro is an infallible method that can be applied to any type of problem you are facing today or may face in the future.

Part III: A day in the life of Don Stressote

Part Three of the book recounts a day in the life of Don Stressote – a modern-day Don Quixote.

The hero, who has just finished reading the theoretical section and is, therefore, a proud graduate of the Ro method, attempts to apply what he has learnt, from the moment he wakes up to the moment he returns home exhausted.

Armed with courage and stoicism, Don confronts the monsters and the dragons (the idiots)³ of the 21st century: his partner who got to the toilet first and is now studying Rodafinos’ book insensitive to the needs of others, the chubby guy in the tiny European lift who squeezes him into the corner, the traffic, his stupid boss, the disgruntled and impervious client, as well as the most difficult person of all – his own self and his irrational expectations!

Don differs from other mere mortals, thanks to his humour, his determination and commitment to his pledge “I won’t let any idiot ruin my day, because this is MY day!” and his careful preparation of an action plan on how to deal with both small annoyances and seemingly unconquerable summits.

This is MY day!

Don’s ability to maintain the appropriate distance from every problem is of the utmost importance. He can put things into perspective, offering every event the necessary attention and nothing more.

All this takes place in the final part. By that time, readers realize a) why they have read a few hundred pages of this book, b) who they really are, and c) what they are doing on this planet. They also get answers to several other philosophical and … metaphysical questions.

Tips for readers

I have always been impressed by scepticism and the ability (or inability) of the human brain for critical thought. People are quick to believe that there are 300 billion stars in The Milky Way, our galaxy, without insisting on counting them, but if you tell them that a wall or a staircase is freshly painted they need to test it with their finger. I admit, I used to be one of them, and made several mistakes, even when borrowing information for my lectures and my books. We are equally gullible to star signs, coffee-grind readings, psychics,⁴ and tarot cards without, for an instance, stopping to ponder the validity of every ridiculous and absurd theory we rush to embrace.

Some of the ideas presented in this book (much like my previous one Princes to Frog and Vice Versa), may initially appear slightly strange. Whichever way you perceive them, work to maintain a critical view. Do not accept everything you read. You are entitled to your own opinion.⁵ Think, question, and cross-reference the information.

The material in this book is suitable for readers with analytical thinking skills, those who are interested in stress and problem solving, and want to organize their thoughts or add more information to their existing knowledge.⁶ On the other hand, cognitive misers, those who wish to avoid spending a lot of time and effort reading everything there is to read about stress, may wish to skip the first part. In fact, if you happen to fit in the latter category and want to feel better now, make sure you read the Ro method (Chapter 8) and then go straight to the third part, which presents everyday applications of the theory described in the first two parts.

Test: True or False?

Before we begin, why don’t we – why don’t you – perform a test to check your knowledge on stress.

Grab pen and paper (if you still remember how to use them).

Now write T (True) or F (False) for each statement on a piece of paper (else on a file on your note pad, iBook etc.).⁷

– Too many good things in a row can make you sick.

– Traffic congestion can raise your blood pressure.