Successful thinking is focused on a positive mindset.

How you think about stress, for example, is paramount to how it affects you.  I love Kelly McGonigal’s TED talk on making stress your friend, enough to have just bought her book, The Upside of Stress.  She writes about mindset psychology and how changing the way you think about something can change its effect on you, like on how stress affects you.  If you think that stress is actually good for you, for example, you are able to use stress to reach your goal. Hmm.

But negative thoughts, assumptions and attitudes about anything can creep into your daily working life quite easily because negativity is catchy!

So, have you been thinking any of the following lately:

·      I’m too stressed.  Stress is getting me down.

·      There is no way to move forward.

·      I can’t get any new clients, let alone keep the old ones.

·      My products are just so-so.

·      I’m so behind and so it’s not worth trying to catch up.

·      I can’t do this until I have more… (funds, people, etc.…)

·      It’s not going to get better until… (the economy, my team, or (x) changes.

·      Face it, there is no hope that I can get better (or better at) …

Of course, there is probably some truth in all of the above sentences, sometimes, but there are no solutions available when you think this way.  Your can-do attitude disappears and negativity sets in like a plague.

You need to change the way you think about these situations- move to a place of self-efficacy; there is always something you can do.  You need a way to feel that you are in control – and set some boundaries against thinking these kinds of unhelpful thoughts.  

Research shows that if you believe you will succeed; you will – eventually.  

So, first find out what the negative assumption/attitude is (in psychology, you are looking for a cognitive distortion) – and write it down.  Then examine the evidence to see if it is false, partially true or really totally true.  Give yourself the benefit of the doubt when doing this and do not judge yourself too harshly.

Then put the statement into “can-do” language, for example:

·      I’m very stressed and this is hard, but there will be a way through it, when I find it.  And the stress will even prepare me to complete the task.  First, though, I will treat myself to (your favorite nice reward is inserted here) because I have done so well, so far.  Then my plan will be….

·      There seems no way forward, but I’m sure if I sleep on it and ask for help from (mentor or boss or…), there will be a way, somehow.  Who can help?

·      I haven’t been able to get any clients for a while, and some of the present clients show signs of leaving.  What are the reasons for this, and how can I change my products or sales to better reach the market and keep people on board?  How can I find out the why and change it?

·      My product is not so-so, but just not as cool sounding as x, so I have to change my product so it is better; and at the moment I have to communicate my awesome value proposition to my clients and to the public in general.

·      I’m behind the competition, so I need to catch up and even surpass them as soon as possible by…. I’m behind in this project, so, what can I cut out to focus on this and move forward?  What am I doing that is keeping me from addressing this project?

·      Let’s look at how to get (funds, people, etc) by this date so we can go forward as soon as possible; in the meantime, let’s…. I know there is enough (x, y, z) and there is no scarcity, but there is abundance in (my) life.

·      Even though it’s not an optimal situation, how can I go forward with what I have/can do?

·      There is (almost) always a way and maybe someone can help me focus on the right thing to find a way. Who might that be?

I’m sure you get the point. Work on your negative thoughts and assumptions and change them to workable positive assumptions that move you one step forward- not with a fake a happy-clappy attitude, but gritty can-do attitude.

What’s your next positive assumption – and with that the next smallest step forward?

Have a very successful week, and month!

Patricia Jehle   patricia@jehle-coaching.com