Poise

"I tell my players that you never want to show your opponent a weakness through you words, facial expressions, or body language. No matter what they are saying to you, no matter what the crowd is chanting, if you can show poise, you can demonstrate to your opponent that they cannot rattle you. Just keep your mind on what you're doing and maintain that inner balance. Act like you have been there before and that you expect to do well." - Mike Krzyzewski

When said by a basketball coach, poise sounds like keeping a tough face in the heat of battle. I think it can also be applied, though, in our daily smaller skirmishes. If you're like me you have expectations that things will go a certain way. When something pops up unexpectedly, it's not unlike me to give a surprised and meek-sounding "Ohhhh!" Poise can be receiving unexpected news with a calm face instead of a wide-eyed one.

Poise to me isn't about being "man-tough" and refusing to share emotions. Poise and toughness can be reflected as much by a smile as in grimness. Perhaps even more so. The person of a mindset that all will be well is rugged against the worst of times, and their calm in those times reveals a fundamental strength that few ever achieve.