Winning is more fun at the last minute, but you become a loser when you get addicted to it. This is called the 11th-hour victory, or ‘eucatastrophe.’
This will interest you: do you know that the feeling of winning and being disappointed at the last minute is exactly the same?
Both are expressed as counterfactual relief and temporal relief, which are emotions signaled from the brain through the same neurotransmitters.
Disappointment and relief share common neurological and psychological pathways. You can win at the eleventh hour, but the thrill also comes from a place of disappointment. Now, you shouldn’t be addicted to that feeling.
It sometimes feels as though only people who won at the eleventh hour have the best success stories.
It might quite feel that way, but only those who have experienced it will understand its downsides.
The Thoughts of an 11th Hour Winner (Eucatastrophian)
Eucatastrophe is the sudden turn of events for good. It was coined and used by J.R.R. Tolkien, a great philologist and author. The same concept explains the turn of events in the Lord of the Rings movie.
And just like the movie, and a similar one called Harry Porter, author; J.K Rowling is an eleventh-hour winner, or eucatastrophian.
J.K. Rowling, Sylvester Stallone, and Oprah Winfrey amongst many other greats of their fields are typical examples of eleventh-hour victories. They know what it feels like, they’ve experienced the thrill and it has made them better humans.
Undoubtedly, the stringent perseverance and pain made them super-beings at their endeavors.
- “And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life“- J.K. Rowling after facing numerous life challenges including financial hardship, and several rejections from publishers. She became accustomed to being at the rock bottom.
- “Every champion was once a contender that refused to give up“- Sylvester Stallone. He struggled to find acting opportunities for many years and turned down many offers to sell his blockbuster movie.
- “Turn your wounds into wisdom“- Oprah Winfrey. While attempting to climb the ladder of presenting, Oprah was consistently brought down and faced rejection as she was tagged unfit for presenting.
To some extent, with deep thoughts, it feels like success from serious turmoil might be more interesting or intriguing. Don’t get me wrong. No individual success is achieved easily, but surely some are more far-fetched than others.
People who faced more challenges and experienced the eleventh-hour win seem to become so much better at their fields.
From the three examples, the thoughts of an eleventh-hour winner are certainly more profound, and rigid. The time of perseverance and pain before the sudden win seems to make them better humans.
But there is an in-depth psychological meaning to the true feeling, and some hidden dangers to feeling that way, which is why you shouldn’t be addicted to it, despite its thrilling phenomena. But only those who have experienced it would know what it feels like, and how it can be addictive.
Psychology Behind 11th Hour Victories
Do you know that the psychology behind eleventh-hour victories is built in the emotion it gives and the behavior it imbibes in its victims? Amongst many expert psychological explanations, two stand out. The dopamine response, and the consistent reward cycle jail it puts its victims.
The Dopamine Response
Dopamine is often referred to as the feel-good neurotransmitter and is related to reward and winning.
Our dopamine is triggered daily as we achieve mini-goals. But gets more profound with tasks that have wider fulfillment gaps.
Since dreaming of becoming a published writer, quitting my day job, and searching for a content writing job that befits my writing talents.
I have consistently felt a daily dose of dopamine with every comment I read on my published post. But it is nothing compared to what I felt when I got my first international client, after many years of being a naturally nurtured talent with no good pay.
I felt compelled, satisfied, pleased, and fulfilled. I currently feel the same level of pleasure as I reminisce about it right now. If you’ve had a painful win, you’ll understand this feeling too.
Despite being pleasurable, it can be rather addictive. According to Neurolaunch, the release of dopamine is encouraged, but excess or compounded occurrences can cause health and behavioral issues such as schizophrenia or addictions.
The behavioral aspect can lead to being in tune with procrastination because doing it at the last minute will create a better feel-good feeling.
Consistent Reward Cycle
A consistent reward cycle is another psychological expression of the 11th-hour victory. Winning at the last minute when all hope is lost gives you dopamine and feeds adrenaline. But it also creates a reward cycle.
This is a good thing. Knowing that there will surely be a reward despite the tumultuous effort you’ve put into an endeavor is inspiring.
For individuals with larger-than-life dreams, it is a fuel to their motivation. Some of its good sides also include self-motivation and inspiration garnered subconsciously as you now realize there’ll certainly be a bright light at the end of the tunnel.
Just like dopamine, it makes you feel good. But being addicted to its wonderful feeling can be addictive. A lot of our habits as humans are unconscious and stem from our life experiences and challenges.
Once addicted to the thoughts of a feel-good reward after a last-minute win;
- Procrastination sets in.
- You start to prefer completing tasks on deadline rather than before.
- Successes that are easily earned become almost ungratifying.
Although experts might find varying aspects of psychology on 11th-hour victories, the feel-good dopamine and the reward cycle surely set the pace for what it truly means.
Hidden Dangers of Relying on Last-Minute Success (11th Hour Victories)
If you’ve ever turned a situation around for good, or you’ve ever been an underdog, there is a chance you’ll completely understand the hidden dangers of relying on last-minute successes.
It’s a process that makes you feel your soul go through a wear and tear effect, such that even when it does happen.
The world will see you win and celebrate with you, but they won’t see the marks it’ll leave on you. Some of these will include;
- Chronic stress/burnout from the increasing pressure and use of your willpower for far too long.
- Reduced work quality; you might have finally won, but only you would know your quality has been widely strained.
- Phobia of pursuing dreams and aiming higher as you begin to imagine a larger effort would be needed, and this is not always the case.
- Unpronounced addiction and synchronization of success with hardship, turmoil, and all ill fates.
The dangers of relying on last-minute successes are many. In a way, only people who are undeserving should experience it. No individual worth the win should experience such a level of stress ,reduced work quality, or phobia.
However, spiritual views on 11th-hour victories are very distinctive, and they almost annul the presence of any hidden danger. The dangers are more or less seen as leverage.
Spiritual and Cultural Views on 11th Hour Victories
When you think everything is falling apart, God will bring victory. It’s a testament to his powers and miracles. There is no doubt that it makes you feel God is truly present.
In Mathew Chapter 20: And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
The chapters further reveal that the individuals were hired and given jobs. It happened at the eleventh hour when they’d lost all hope.
Many religious establishments and cultural leaders use this expression to explain the concept of eleventh-hour victories.
- They stress more on waiting patiently, but fail to realize how tiring it can be in today’s world.
- They advise having faith and believing it will happen, forgetting the fears and mental stress it poses.
Some faith and work can surely move mountains, but it’s always great to do so with balance. By not getting used to the concept of last-minute wins, and using some tips that trump last-minute wins, or at least make you immune to being addicted.
Actionable Steps to Break Free from 11th Hour Victories Dependency
As you now know, the thrill of 11th-hour victories can be very addictive. The dopamine rush and feeling it gives you as a new winner can form a new dependency.
The best way to break free from such dependency or disallow its occurrence is to follow these actions. There are also reasons why consistency and planning will always trump last-minute wins.
- Manage your time judiciously.
- Set little actionable aims.
- Always set realistic and achievable goals.
- Be mindful and consistently express gratitude as you go.
- Analyze your progress and see intentional reasons to continue to forge ahead.
- Practice relaxation techniques with activities you love dearly.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Eleventh-Hour
What does the saying “11th hour” mean?
The 11th hour means the last minute or the point just before it’s too late. It originates from the idea of being close to the 12th hour, symbolizing the brink of time.
What does 11th hour request mean?
11th-hour request means asking at the last minute. When you request at the 11th hour, it means you asked at the brink of time.
What does the 11th hour of God mean?
The 11th hour of God means when God turns things around for good, when you’ve almost lost hope.
What is the 11th hour miracle?
The 11th-hour miracles are spiritual interventions that occur for success and turn things around for good when you have lost hope as a human.
Conclusion
Know now that you are an eucatastrophian if you’ve ever experienced 11th-hour victories. And if you have never experienced it, know that the feeling it gives is also justified by a sudden rush of dopamine.
It is interesting, thrilling, and addictive.
I encourage you to replace the thrill of last-minute success with the satisfaction of steady progress. So that even while you are in the course of getting a last-minute win, you have celebrated many mini-wins.
Never get addicted to the thrill of the 11th-hour victory; instead, enjoy its process and mark memorable victories as you go.
Thank you for reading. Also watch: What does it really mean to be kind?
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