How To Stay Focused & Inspired In Tough Times: Lessons for Managing and Thriving on Your Setbacks
By Robin S. Sharma
"No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars or sailed to an uncharted land or opened up a new heaven to the human spirit," observed Helen Keller.
In this change-crazed world we live in, a healthy dose of optimism will help us deal with life's daily challenges and stay inspired in the face of difficulties. But the habit of positive thinking is not enough.
To truly thrive on the inevitable obstacles that will appear on your path, you must learn specific strategies for managing setbacks and transforming your struggles into strengths.
The following 5 points will keep you motivated, inspired and focused as you deal with adversity:
1. Search for the Opportunity. The great motivational thinker Napoleon Hill once said that every difficulty contains the seed of an equivalent opportunity. The person of true character has the courage to find it and then seize it in order move on to a whole new level of success.
Problems are a part of life. The only people on the planet who are problem-free are resting six feet under the ground.
When faced with an apparent failure or rejection, ask yourself the simple question: "what can I learn from this?" Then use the experience to grow more effective at what you do.
Remember, failure is the highway to success. As J.P. Guildford noted: "To live is to have problems and to solve problems is to grow intellectually."
2. Envision a Better Day. One of the most powerful ways to stay focused and strong in the face of a setback is to simply close your eyes and picture a time when things will be much better.
Visualize things going the way you want them to go. Vividly see things unfolding ideally and emotionally connect to how good you will feel once they do. Jonas Salk said: "I've had dreams and I've had nightmares. I've overcome my nightmares because of my dreams."
By staying anchored to a positive vision of your future, you will remain motivated no matter how tough your current circumstances may be.
3. Connect to the Truth. There are certain "Success Truths" or natural laws of achievement that have endured throughout the ages.
Unfortunately, with the frenzied pace at which most of us work and live at, we often lose sight of these truths that have stood the test of time, truths such as "just before a great victory one often faces great adversity" or "we learn and grow most from our biggest failures" or "nothing can stop a person who simply refuses to be stopped."
The simple daily discipline of reading an inspirational book or a great text of wisdom from a life philosopher such as Seneca or Thoreau first thing in the morning will re-connect you to the success truths that govern the way we live. Their knowledge will then infuse and inspire every remaining minute of your day and your problems will not seem so big.
4. Select, Reflect and Correct. Reflection is one of the most powerful yet underused business skills. The French scientist Blaise Pascal mused that "All man's miseries derive from not being able to sit quietly in a room alone."
The habit of going to a quiet place on a regular basis and reflecting on the causes, solutions and ultimate benefits of a problem you might be experiencing is one that will profoundly improve the level of your personal and professional effectiveness.
Thinking deeply about the way you are doing the things you do increases self-awareness which, in turn, prevents future mistakes. Let your past failures serve you. Transform your stumbling blocks into stepping stones. Unless you reflect - then correct - the mistakes of your past, you are doomed to repeat them.
5. Maintain Your Perspective. Stephen Hawking, one of the world's greatest scientific thinkers, has noted that we live on a minor planet of a very average star located within the outer limits of one of a hundred thousand million galaxies.
In light of this finding, can your problems really be that significant? While, in the heat of the moment our challenges seem to be major calamities, over time we are able to see them in a new light.
All top performers have developed this ability of keeping their setbacks in a proper perspective, learning from them and then advancing confidently in the direction of their dreams. Never lose sight of the fact that the work you and your team is doing impacts on people's lives and you can make a difference.
That's what's most important. As the poet Rumi once said: "When you are dead, seek for your resting place, not in the earth, but in the hearts of men." Wise words from a wise man.
For more motivational and inspirational articles visit either our main site or our forum area.
http://thecorner4women.com
http://thecorner4women.com/Forum
Love and Peace to all
John Elliott aka Oaky Wood & Luella May
|