How to Handle Problems - Adopting a positive attitude in tough times
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things
Philippians 4: 8
Positive thinking and a healthy dose of realism can help you successfully navigate the recession
In tough times, one of the first things to go is your attitude. According to a recent Gallup survey, nearly two-thirds of American workers admit to struggling with stress due to the economy. I know that it has personally affected me as a corporate coach/trainer and author. The American Psychiatric Assn. found that half of all Americans worry about providing for their loved ones in this economy. Many are dealing with the fear of lack. The Bible teaches us how to win over fear.
WHEN FEAR ABOUNDS!
In tough times, fear abounds. It freezes some people while others use the extra energy—also known as anxiety—as fuel to light up their afterburners. Churchill was fond of saying: “When you find yourself going through hell, keep going.” I like that!
When you embrace a “tough-times” attitude, you can prevail, not merely survive, in tough times. There is more to emerging from tough times than simply enduring them—although for some people, that may be good enough.
WORK ON YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS
From psychology, we know that attitude drives behavior; we behave as we believe and we become what we think about. Proverbs 23: 7 says; as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Negative and positive thoughts lead to negative and positive behaviors. Working on your thought process and shaping positive behaviors can lead to positive outcomes. That is why the Bible says think on things that are good in Philippians 4: 8. Remember this advice from O.B. Smalls; God is smarter than we are! The Bible tells us how to think. This demands that we work on our thought processes.
4 IDEAS FOR DEALING WITH TOUGH TIMES
The following four ideas will help you develop a tough-times attitude so that you can emerge victorious from the turbulence.
First, Turn Fear into Power. Here is one of the great paradoxes of tough times: you can use that which gives you the most stress as an advantage. Fear makes people vigilant. The same hyper-vigilance that cautions you to be watchful for danger can be used to detect opportunity. I heard a quote years ago which said if you want to succeed, decide what you don’t want to happen and make darn sure it doesn’t. It is no accident that you are blessed with heightened energy levels to engage tough times. How you choose to use this energy determines how you will emerge from the turbulence. The fear that produces anxiety also gives you the boost you need to make an extra sales call, work harder and plan better. When times are tough, you need extra energy to go the extra mile.
Fear is a red-hot emotion that trumps most other emotions, including greed. This is one reason customers hoard their capital in tough times, even opting to pass up a great buying opportunity. Turning fear into power means you can differentiate yourself with steadiness. As others panic, your calmness reassures customers. When customers know you are in this for the long haul and make your decisions with one eye on the future, they want to travel this journey with you. Courage is not the absence of fear; it is the management of fear.
Second, Compartmentalize Your Fear. Tough timers share a common characteristic with professional athletes, artists and spiritual people: they live in the now. Phil Jackson, the famous Lakers coach, said: “It's no accident that things are more likely to go your way when you stop worrying about whether you're going to win or lose and focus all your full attention on what's happening at this moment.” Tough timers compartmentalize their adversity, ensuring it does not overwhelm all areas of their lives.
Even though you must keep one eye on the future and embrace the attitude that “this, too, shall pass,” you must live in the moment of daily effort. View success as a long-term journey filled with daily accomplishments. Celebrating these daily achievements provides you the spiritual fuel you need to face another day and fight the battle all over again. One of my favorite quotes is; Success is a journey, not a destination.
“When you find yourself going through hell, keep going.” Winston Churchill
Third, Study! Study the Bible. Read positive faith building books. It is impossible to feel hopeless and helpless if you are doing something positive to expand your mind. Reading, studying and attending training sessions provides you with new ideas and different ways of thinking. At the heart of resilience is inventiveness. New ideas and different approaches unleash your natural creativity. Old problems and challenges wilt in the presence of fresh thinking (Ephesians 4: 23 in the Greek says develop a fresh mental attitude).
Direct your study at ways to grow in this crisis. You are not just saving the day; you are sculpting your future. Although your natural instinct is to hunker down, the best time to build is when things are slow. Some people welcome the slower pace of tough times to re-tool themselves for the challenge of recovery. I have put myself on a re-tooling program to finish my degree in professional communications during the economic slowdown to emerge as a new, prepared Bernard when things rebound. What are you doing in the area of study and preparation? If you don't prepare now, how will you study as things turn? You will be too busy trying to take advantage of the rebounding economy.
Fourth, Accept the Reality of Your Situation—whether it is positive or negative. Resilient people and organizations face the reality of their adversity. You will not hear them boast that they will not participate in the recession. Everyone participates in one way or another. It is this realistic and optimistic engagement that enables them to prosper as others perish. Here is where “Word of faith” people need to re-think things. Facing reality and accepting it is not unbelief. Count the cost and decide to pay the price to change the reality.
If you are in sales and your sales are down but not as far down as others, feel grateful for this blessing. If your customers are feeling the effects of the recession more than you, understand their pain but don't feel guilty that you are surviving or thriving as others are suffering. There is no reason to feel survivor's guilt. Your success is a blessing, not a burden. If you feel guilty for your success, you will engage in negative and self-defeating behavior. If you view it as a blessing, you will want to share it with others.
If others are doing better than you, waste no energy on envy. Hello! David spoke of the prosperity of the wicked, and how he had to fight off envy.
For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Psalm 73:3 (New International Version)
Be glad for them and use their success as a source of hope and optimism. Why would you want to wish others misfortune simply because you are feeling it? That is not a good use of the extra energy you have available to you.
"In prosperity, our friends know us; in adversity, we know our friends." John Churton Collins
YOU CAN PREVAIL!
Tough times demand a great deal from us. You can prevail. Others have proven this to us. In the last recession, 15 percent more industry leaders emerged. I am sure they achieved this by embracing these four tough-times attitudes.
"Bernard is an excellent speaker with great content that will inspire any audience. Bernard is a real winner."- Dr. Ken Blanchard -Co-author of "The One Minute Manager
O. Bernard Smalls is a member of the professional Speaker’s Bureau International, an author, a motivational-speaker and a corporate coach with a focus on self-improvement, customer service, leadership and sales training. His motto is to deliver self-improvement products and services that are simply BS! belief systems.He presently resides in Phoenix, Arizona.
CONTACT INFO:
Email: gunghoguru@hotmail.com
Phone: 602 791 9710
www.obernardsmallscompanies.com
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