One thing is a given – we are what we think.
Cause = thought ~ Effect = outcome.
The trouble is for most people knowing how to keep or sustain a positive outlook is difficult when there are so many things that can disrupt us: the impending election; public spending cuts; the prospect of being made redundant; the fall out from the Icelandic volcano; and a whole heap of things going on around us that we are powerless to control.
Just think of it. How many times have you woken up in the morning to a beautiful day, your head buzzing with awesome, positive thoughts only to find that by the end of the day you are completely exhausted, mentally fatigued and all that energy has been dissipated at various points across the day.
Friday comes and, phew …
You are so relieved to get off the treadmill but, of course, you know it is going to start up again in the space of 48 hours.
The answer?
There is no simple or indeed straightforward way to deal with this, however I have found it really helpful to come back to one affirmation that enables me to stay focused throughout the day:
“Control what you can control and forget the rest.”
I am not suggesting that this is the curate’s egg or that from time to time you are going to find yourself being seduced by the inevitable (human) tendency to think we can fix everything, but if our thoughts truly maketh us, then focus them on the controllable and forget the rest.
Take your job (or work). All you can do is your very best with emotion, passion and dedication. As Seth Godin says: “Your work is to do the work, not to do your job. Your job is about following instructions; the work is about making a difference. Your work is to ship. Ship things that make change.” In other words just apply all your brilliance on what you can control, are passionate about and make sure you deliver on time. If your funnel of thought or your programming is to worry about your tenure then chances are you will end up in a downward spiral and sooner or later you will end up where you thought you would be (again, we are what we think).
Now, I am not saying that you might not lose your job but along the way you will have lived with passion and emotion, may have acquired some new skills (certainly a new mental reframing) and find yourself in a position to make a change in your life that you have been craving, even if it is one that has been forced upon you.
Again to repeat – think about what you can control. Like the late Jim Rohn talked about, you can’t change the seasons – the only person you can change is yourself.
Not convinced! Well all I would invite you to do is to try thinking about the controllable and see how things develop for you. When you next find yourself in a situation where a customer is ‘losing it’, stay calm, focused and above all else don’t try to think too hard about ‘why’ the person should be reacting in this way. Just control what you can control: your response: smile, be sympathetic, empathetic but concentrate on you.
If all else fails repeat these words:
“I think positive because success is positive and that is the side that I always want to be on.” Tom Hopkins
I am not a great fan of positive affirmation without action but repeating this to yourself three or four times a day will at least make you think that to do otherwise is simply going to bring you down.
If you have a strategy that allows you to stay super-motivated day after day after day then I would be thrilled if you would share it.