June 9, 2026
What if I were to tell you something that might blow your mind and then make you really angry? Well, I am going to anyway, because I believe it is often easier to upset someone than it is to try to appease them when there is something important to tell.
The big reveal is that Mammoths are not extinct. Yes, you read that right; they are still here, just not in the way you imagine. You see, these huge furry beasts have been trained, and before being released into the human population, they have to master the art of hiding and jump scare.
Regardless of our 21st-century living, our biology and core functioning stem from our time when we had to use our wits to survive. All those moons before, when we came face to face with a threat, we used our Fight or Flight response. Bumping into a huge 3 tonne beast with tusks that can impale a small milk float meant certain death, or at the very least severe injury, so the fight or flight was invoked.
The Mammoth isn’t the problem. The problem is believing every shadow is a Mammoth
In today’s modern world, we believe we are safe. There is nothing there to hurt or kill us, yet we still have our fight or flight hardwired into us, and it is easily activated. Coming home after a stressful day means you have activated your reaction, probably more than once, and you will be exhausted. The reason is that these sneaky Mammoth critters have been hiding and jumping out at the point you least expect it and scaring you, causing you to activate a reaction.
Whilst at work, you are paid to be there and do a decent job, but someone loves to throw a spanner into the mix, and it causes chaos. You see then the person hurls a thought that can derail the London to Cheltenham train, but you see a brown, wiry frame of a large pachyderm, only for a split second. It is enough for you to want to run away and give up, or to punch them right in the face. In this case, the Mammoth has shown itself and caused you to activate the fight or flight response.
Later the same day, the simplest of tasks, like peeling potatoes, should not be stressful, but it is. Why? Because when you are not expecting it (not concentrating), you drop the knife on the floor and accidentally kick it under the kitchen unit. When this happens, you watch the knife fall, and for a split second you see something that makes you jump; this is your Mammoth. It waits around for just long enough for you to realise it is there before scurrying away. This momentary glance is enough to trip the switch and make you angry (fight) or ready to cry and walk off (flight).
The Mammoth doesn’t care whether it’s a life-threatening crisis or a spilt cup of coffee. It’ll show up either way if you let it
I am sure reading this is making you look at your life and realise that it is full of drama and there is no reason for this to happen, but it does. And to point out the fact that I do know what I am waffling on about, as I did a lot of research for my book and it contains so many of the great steps on how to recognise this situation and how to manage it!
Well, what if I were to tell you that you can start to train this out of control woolly elephant? Is it easy? Well, no, because even when you have it on a leash, if you are not constantly training it, the little mite will gain the upper hand again.
See I told you that you would not like this. But what I can do is give you some advice and tell you that you can start to get this menace back into its box. First, you need to recognise that these Mammoths have a set way to jump scare you. It will always be at the point you least expect it. Recognise the Mammoth. Either it will be when the email arrives, the train is cancelled, or someone criticises your work, this is when the Mammoth appears.
Second, when these things do happen, you need to expect to see your arch rival staring at you. Expect the Mammoth. Life is messy. Something will go wrong today. That’s normal.
Third, stare it down! I mean that by taking the power back. Breathe, accept that something unexpected has happened. Take a breath. Ask yourself if this will matter next week.
The last step is the most important. Step 4 is to laugh. Because a Mammoth only wins when it controls the story in your head.
Laughter is the MOST effective way to reduce the impact a Mammoth has on its jump scare tactic.
You don’t tame a Mammoth by wrestling it. You tame it by teaching it that you do run from it.
The Mammoth isn’t trying to ruin your day. It’s trying to keep you alive. The problem is that you can’t tell the difference between a charging beast and a dropped potato peeler. Your job isn’t to kill the Mammoth; it’s to teach it when it can go back into hiding and stay there.
TL;DR – get to the point.
You need to control your Mammoth
- Recognise your Mammoth
- Expect a Mammoth
- Stare it down
- Laugh
Don’t expect stress to take care of itself, it needs time and effort to resolve.
Caveman Thought
A Caveman knows that every problem looks bigger when you’re tired.
Parting Question
How long do you think you can go on being jump scared by your Mammoth? What damage do you think it has done to you so far? Has it affected your friends, family or your health? When are you going to stop it?
As always, stay safe and remember when your Mammoth appears, don’t run. Don’t fight. Stand still, take a breath, and remember that most Mammoths exist only in your head.
Your friend,
The Caveman.
P.S. When you are ready, here are a few things that might help you;
1) You can book me to attend your next event as a Keynote Speaker.
2) Ask me to send you a copy of my new Speaker Brochure.
3) Grab a copy of my book, direct from my printing agent.
4) You might want to book yourself onto one of my eLearning courses to help you master a new skill.
5) Or if you have the time, and want to find a time for a Caveman chat (with virtual coffee) on a discovery call, do it!