Linked with motivation, resilience and patience I have found positivity is essential to complete the full success compass. To be fair it probably underpins the other 3 and is a must have in your armoury.
Most successful people state positivity as their ‘must have’ attitude in their lives. They, as well as I believe that a positive outlook and state of mind leads to positive outcomes.
“Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.” Willie Nelson
But how do you develop positivity?
Suffering from PTSD depression episodes does mean I know all about how negative things, thoughts and situations can be. Even if you don’t suffer from depression there are times when the entire planet, life, energy, and success can seem entirely pointless. The negative chatter that goes on inside your head about how ‘things are too tough to attempt, it’s not going to make a difference, I’m a failure/fraud, it is never going to work’ can powerfully take precedence over any other thinking and will scupper any plans or goals you had.
You must develop a positivity shield – it really is simple and quickly becomes second nature.
Every time you have a negative thought immediately think of an opposing positive one.
‘Ugh, it’s wet damp and cold’ : ‘tomorrow may be sunny’
‘I’ll never make my deadline’ : ‘I am working towards my deadline and still have time’
‘There’s not enough money’ : ‘how can I creatively use the money I do have’
It really is that simple. Even in the darkest of situations there will always be something that you can juxtapose with a brighter idea. It may not be true but just thinking about the positive possibility can have an affirmative effect and change the result for you.
Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.
Lyndon B Johnson
Positivity can be learned
I promise you it does not take long before everything you think about, plan or act upon immediately draws out a positive thought or idea from you without you even consciously thinking about doing so.
I was reminded of this only recently. I returned from a trip to Rome, having eaten as much Gelato as I could (Italian ice cream which is divine), feeling much heavier as my uncomfortable trouser waistband testified to. The very next day a vomiting virus hit me which laid me low for 4 days, unable to eat, with many trips to the bathroom. Without skipping a beat, my immediate thought process piped up with ‘well at least that will shift the extra weight you put on!’. Every cloud has a silver lining….
It is also a great weapon to have in front of you when you meet negative people. You know the type I mean – the ‘it will never work’, ‘what on earth are you thinking’, ‘be realistic’ brigade. Don’t listen to them, they are not you and don’t know what you are capable of.
When you practice the very small things I have suggested with your own Success Compass, remembering to use all four facets all of the time, in tandem, with everything you face, do or try I guarantee that you will begin to fly along your path and have the vitality, grit and endurance you need to achieve absolutely anything.
Remember: You are whatever you tell yourself you are.
This article is part of my success compass series; you can find the other articles here… The Success Compass , Staying Motivated , Resilience and Patience