Book excerpt: Why do some people flourish in high-stress situations, while others feel overwhelmed or discouraged? How do some remain calm under pressure, where others succumb to stress? The difference is in mindset. When you have the skills and knowledge to stay in control, regulate your emotions and manage your reactions, even the most difficult circumstances become opportunities to excel, thrive and grow. But this quality - also known as poise - is not innate. It comes from preparation and practice. In this book, experienced paramedic Leigh Anderson: - shares true life-and-death stories from his career - explores the latest scientific research on mindset, stress and resilience - reveals his secrets for maintaining poise. The result is an arsenal of clear, effective and actionable tools that will boost your ability to perform under pressure. The Paramedic Mindset is essential reading for anyone who wants to face the challenges of life head on. PRAISE FOR THE PARAMEDIC MINDSET 'The Paramedic Mindset is a must-read book. Through the use of personal experiences, both his own and a range of subject matter experts, Leigh delivers an engaging, evidence-based, and practical book on not only how to survive under pressure, but how to flourish. At a time of skyrocketing mental health issues in our first-responder communities, The Paramedic Mindset offers the tools to turn the tide.' Dr Dan Pronk, co-author of The Resilience Shield, Special Forces veteran and Emergency Doctor 'Leigh Anderson has written: The. Definitive. Book. On this vital subject. I know of no other book that will provide this degree of lifesaving information to this vital audience. This book is "required reading" for all paramedics, and should be used as a textbook for training all medical first responders.' Lt Col Dave Grossman, USA (ret.), author of On Combat, On Killing, On Spiritual Combat, and Assassination Generation. 'Leigh has set out to describe the often confronting and challenging role of being a front-line emergency health care responder. A combination of apprehension, performance anxiety, satisfaction, and exhilaration! He most ably transcends his unique experiences, providing a bird's eye view of the "job", its challenges and how to cope. I would highly recommend for anyone interested in how to deal with a high-pressure environment.' Dr Stephen Rashford, Specialist Emergency Physician and Queensland Ambulance Service Medical Director 'Leigh pulls the curtains back on one of life's biggest skills: how to keep your mind when you should be losing your moorings. The mindsets and capabilities needed to be a top performer in any field are critical and not widely known - Leigh has bottled some of that magic in this hard-scrabbled account. Brilliant.' Mark Wales, Special Forces veteran, business CEO, author of Survivor and winner of Australian Survivor TV show