The upcoming difficult negotiations (as well as public speeches, debates, and the like) strain many. Well, of course: there is a lot at stake. In such a situation, usually the state of readiness is associated with a certain tension. For example, preparing for an important meeting (or exam), many strain their muscles and brains, put themselves in a state of tense expectation. But from here arises, oddly enough, a state of rigidity, inflexibility, unwillingness to react quickly, because physiological and psychological stress turns into a retarding factor.
The best readiness – for everything – is a state of non–tension, relaxation. Being relaxed, we can quickly respond to external stimuli or threats, be flexible in our thinking and behavior. Therefore, good martial artists are always calm and relaxed, and this means that they are always ready to repel an external attack.
And wisdom is usually associated with calmness. And great actors can improvise beautifully if they are not stressed. And the mind becomes clear when it is in a calm state, that is, in a state of readiness. Only calmness and relaxation can cause real concentration of the mind. And brilliant ideas are visited only by such minds.
So, the best state before difficult negotiations is a state that combines concentration and relaxation. It can be called in another way: Mindfulness. However, mindfulness is the best condition even during negotiations.
Alisher Faizullaev 