You know those butterflies before you compete? Heart racing, palms sweating, that electric buzz of nervous energy crackling through your system right before you perform.

Some people get them before a big presentation. Others before a first date.

And some people? They carry them 24/7.

High achievers, problem solvers, the ones who’ve already mapped out three solutions while you’re still understanding the problem. They’re wired different – always buzzing with nervous energy, always ready for the next challenge.

But here’s what happens when that energy has nowhere to go.

Picture this: difficult client on the phone, pushing every button you have. All those butterflies that usually help you perform? They’re not flying in formation anymore. They’re smashing into each other, creating chaos in your chest.

So you explode. At your manager. At your team. At people who don’t deserve it.

Most advice tells you to “calm down” or “manage your stress.” Bullshit. You can’t kill the butterflies. That energy is what makes you exceptional at what you do.

Think about when you feel most alive. On a roller coaster. Solving a complex problem under pressure. Gaming for hours in a flow state. In those moments, every butterfly is flying in perfect formation. Your energy has direction.

The problem isn’t the energy – it’s when it becomes scattered.

Instead of trying to slow down your engine, learn to channel it:

• Recognize the chaos early – feel when the butterflies start flying erratically, before they crash into each other
• Find your outlets – what activities naturally align your energy? Do more of those
• Create micro-releases – short bursts of focused activity to prevent pressure buildup

The goal isn’t to become someone else.

It’s to point all that incredible energy in the same direction.

Some people idle at 1000 RPM.

Others idle at 4000.

Neither is wrong.

But knowing which one you are changes everything.

The butterflies aren’t your problem.

Scattered butterflies are.

Stay safe.
And don’t forget to be awesome.