So, how to 'fix' pessimism?
Use the anti-venom, naturally...a dose of optimism!
Test results found that 'optimistic' men were about half as likely to
develop heart disease as men defined as pessimistic [4]
Optimism may reduce the risk of health problems and may actually help a
person recover after experiencing a serious life-changing event. [2]
According to Martin Seligman, author of 'Learned Optimism':
"Within the American workplace, optimists overall stay with difficult and
challenging jobs, while pessimists seem to do worse than predicted and even
give up. In our research on the roles of optimism and pessimism, we
conducted studies in the workplace. We looked for a demanding field in which
there
were a lot of challenges, frustrations, and rejection. The question was:
'What type of person copes
with that kind of situation best?'
We tested 15,000 applicants for life insurance sales, a difficult job with
frequent rejection and a high drop-out rate. We measured, by questionnaire,
the explanatory style (a metric of optimism and pessimism) of the regular
qualified people who were hired. Also included was a special force of 129
people who failed the industry test -- who wouldn't normally have been hired
-- but who tested very well on optimism.
Our research followed both groups for two years and concluded with two basic
findings. First, within the regular qualified group that was hired, the
optimists significantly outsold the pessimists. Second, the special force of
optimists who failed the industry test outsold everyone."[1]
So, can you become more optimistic overnight?
Well, let me ask that question another way...
'can you stop eating ice-cream from one day to the next?'
Sure you can - you just stop buying the stuff or stop opening the freezer
and it taking out in the first place.
It is a choice...like most things in life.
YOU choose what you eat.
YOU choose how you move your body.
YOU choose what you say to, and about, other people.
...and YOU choose what you THINK.
Yes - of course you can become more optimistic - you just choose different
actions.
You think different thoughts, you express yourself with different words, you
may even set different standards for yourself.
So, how do you create more optimism at work?
ACTION STEPS:
1. Get away from the garbage
If you don't want to smell - then don't touch the garbage! If you want the
optimism in your life, then you need to stop indulging in the complaining
about the weather, traffic, politics, andeverything else that isn't going
perfectly.
If the people you work or deal with each day are pessimistic, complaining,
miserable sods then that's just tough luck. However, it doesn't have to
make you one as well. You can choose not to get sucked into their vacuum of
negativity and keep your own head strong.
How would you feel if someone walked into your living room and dumped a pile
of rubbish on your carpet/floor boards? I'm assuming this would upset you -
maybe even make you mad!
You probably wouldn't tolerate anyone doing that to yourplace....so why
would you tolerate people dumping their garbage thoughts and complaints in
your head?
Dave Boufford's website,
http://www.mrpositive.com is dedicated to
sourcing positive news from around the world. I recommend visiting his site
and viewing his short motivational movie "Rules For Being Human".
Research suggests that optimistic attitudes can reduce risk of heart disease
in older men, says Laura Kubzansky, assistant professor of health and social
behavior at the Harvard School of Public Health.[3]
Make a choice about what you focus on and about the conversations you have.
2. External versus Internal
Do you spend more time putting yourself down and blaming yourself when
things go wrong? If so, then STOP IT! Sometimes things just don't work
out. It doesn't have to always be about you! There may be other
circumstances that play a role in a disappointing outcome.
Optimists explain negative events in their lives as due to being a
combination of them and circumstances - thereby not wearing the full burden
of the problem on their shoulders. In contrast, pessimists tend to see
setbacks as mostly 'their fault'. [6]
Not everything is 'your fault' - share the burden with life.
3. Get into better thinking habits
Learn why some people naturally SWIM and become optimistic when dealing with
stress and pressure while others SINK and become pessimistic under the
same circumstances.
I run regular courses on 'Becoming resilient to pressure in work and life'
where I reveal the 4 key mindsets that will turn your pessimism into
optimism. You can find out more about them from:
www.bouncebackfast.com/public.html
|
Michael Licenblat B.Sc.(Psych) is a
Resilience Expert who helps people in business bounce back fast
from pressure, stress and burnout in their work and life. He is a
professional speaker, coach and author of three books.
To download your free special report
on the ‘Seven ways to prevent yourself becoming Over-Worked,
Stressed-Out, and Run-Down’, visit:
http://www.BounceBackFast.com |
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