What Do You Want? by Jack Canfield
People who have achieved their goals knew what they wanted in the first place. They decided what to go after, and they went after it. One of the most compelling reasons why people do not get what they want is that they never decided what they wanted! They never defined the desires of their hearts in complete detail.
Why don’t you know what you want? Why isn’t it spelled out in detail in your mind? Most likely, it is because you have lost touch with the desires of your heart. You were probably taught that you couldn’t have whatever you wanted. You were probably taught that it was more important to do what made other people happy. Seeking your happiness was considered selfish, so you learned not to define your happiness. Now, you find yourself completely unaware of what your preferences are, how you really want to live your life, and what your goals are for your life.
Take back your life! Start honoring your preferences, no matter how small they seem. Even if you don’t know what you prefer, pretend you do, and make a decision. You’ll be more keenly aware of whether that decision made you happy or not and you will learn your preferences!
Commit to this new belief: You deserve to have everything exactly the way you want it. Make it a priority to begin to know your wants and desires. Start simple by making a list of things you want to do and things you want to have. Keep writing until you find some of your core values, such as wanting to have loving relationships, to make a difference in your world or to be financially secure.
Think of what you love to do with your time. Write down several things that you love to do, and then make a list of all the ways you can think of to be making a living doing those things. Create a detailed description of the vision you have for your ideal life. Don’t limit yourself. Dream as big as you possibly can from your perspective right now.
In detail, what is going on in the financial area of your life? How much money do you make? How much do you have in savings and investments? What about your real estate? What kind of house or houses do you own? Create detailed visions of all the major areas of your life, your ideal career, your recreation time, your ideal body and physical health, your relationships with family and friends, your spiritual life, and the community in which you live. Create and write down your ideal vision for each area and review it on a daily basis.
All you have to do at this point is clarify your vision to yourself. Don’t worry about how it will happen right now. Once you have a clear picture of what you want going through your mind, the steps and opportunities to get it will appear. When you have completed your ideal vision of your life, share it with a supportive friend. Don’t let anyone talk you out of it! More than likely, they want the same thing for themselves but believe it’s impossible. Deciding what you want is the first step to getting what you want. Don’t put off creating your vision!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Stop the Chatter Box!
We all have a chatter box that , at some point or another, gives us self doubt, uncertainty, and fear. It can cause procrastination and keep you stuck in what seems to be a never ending situation. It can cause paralysis and keep you immobilized. It can cause you to believe that you don't deserve success, so you sabotage yourself to avoid having to find out how successful you could be. There are a million variations of this situation, but the result is still the same: We stay STUCK!
How do you stop the chatter box in your head that hold these false fears and trap you in your mental state? You need to be bold and take action. Write down your goals, your dreams and make a plan of action and act upon it. You must act! That is the key to life changing success and happiness.
Take the challenge and take bold steps and break free. Take action today on everything that you have been putting off. Challenge yourself to eliminate anything that doesn’t reflect your values and your goals.
Personal and financial freedom is just on the other side of action.
Get unstuck today and break away from the negative chatter box and start realizing your future and all the possibilities it holds for you.
Michele Valenti
How do you stop the chatter box in your head that hold these false fears and trap you in your mental state? You need to be bold and take action. Write down your goals, your dreams and make a plan of action and act upon it. You must act! That is the key to life changing success and happiness.
Take the challenge and take bold steps and break free. Take action today on everything that you have been putting off. Challenge yourself to eliminate anything that doesn’t reflect your values and your goals.
Personal and financial freedom is just on the other side of action.
Get unstuck today and break away from the negative chatter box and start realizing your future and all the possibilities it holds for you.
Michele Valenti
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Finding Motivation: What To Do When You Don't Feel Like Doing Anything
by Chris Widener
“The measure of your success usually comes down to who wins the battle that rages between the two of you. The ‘you’ who wants to stop, give up, or take it easy, and the ‘you’ who chooses to beat back that which would stand in the way of your success - complacency.” Chris Widener
In all of my interactions with people, I've never found anyone, regardless of their level of success, who doesn't sometimes find themselves simply not wanting to do the things that they need and want to do. It is a part of human nature that there will be times that, in spite of all that we need to do, and even desire to, we will find ourselves not wanting to do anything. And what separates those who will become successful from those who will maintain the status-quo, is the ability at those very crucial moments of time when we are making decisions about what we will do, to choose to find the inner motivation that will enable us to conquer our complacency and move on in action.
I find that I confront this issue in my life on a regular basis, so the following success strategies are not merely pie in the sky techniques, but proven ways to get yourself to go even when you don't feel like doing anything. Honestly evaluate whether or not you need a break This is the first thing that I usually do what I find that I don't want to get to a specific action. The fact is that oftentimes we will have been working very hard and the lethargy we are feeling is really our body and emotions telling us that we simply need a break. And this is where it takes real intellectual honesty because when we don't need a break our mind is still telling us we need a break! But sometimes we do need a break. I'll give you a good example. I don't particularly like to exercise, but I do almost every day. Sometimes, I find myself before going to the club thinking about how I just didn't feel like going. Most of the time I am just being lazy. However, sometimes I realize that my body needs a break. So from time to time I will take a one or two daybreak from working out. The benefits of this are two-fold: One, my body gets a break to regenerate itself. Two, after a day or two, I begin to miss my workout, and eagerly anticipate a turning to the gym.
Other examples: Perhaps you are a salesman who has been phoning clients for a week straight, day and night. You wake up one morning and just don’t feel like doing it any more. Well, take a break for the morning. Go to a coffee shop and read the paper. Go to the driving range and hit some golf balls. Take a break and then get back to it!
Start small
I'm at a point in my workout schedule now where a typical workout day for me consists of 30 to 45 minutes of aerobic exercise, and about 30 minutes of weight lifting. So when I find myself not wanting to get up and go to the gym, I will sometimes make a commitment to go and just do a smaller workout. Instead of deciding not to go, I'll commit to doing 15 to 20 minutes of aerobic exercise and 15 to 30 minutes of weight lifting. This is also good for two reasons. One, I actually get some exercise that day. And two, it keeps me from getting into a cycle of giving up when I don't feel like moving toward action.
Other examples: Maybe you are a writer who simply doesn’t want to write today. Instead of the long day writing you had planned, decide that you will at least outline a couple of new articles. You will at least get these done, and you may have found that you put yourself into the writing mood after all.
Change your routine
I have found that what keeps me in the best shape and burns the most calories for me, is to do 30 to 45 minutes on the treadmill every day. Now let me be very blunt.
I find running on the treadmill to be extremely boring. Usually I can get myself to do it, but sometimes I need to vary my routine. So instead of 30 to 45 minutes on a treadmill, I will break down my aerobic exercise routine into a number of different areas. I will do ten to 15 minutes on treadmills, 10 to 15 minutes on the reclining cycle, 5 to 10 minutes on the rowing machine, 5 to 10 minutes on the stair stepper, and then back on to the treadmill for five to 10 minutes. I still get my exercise, but I'm bored a lot less.
Other examples: Maybe you are in construction and you have been working on the plumbing for a week, and it is getting monotonous. Don’t do the plumbing today! Go frame-in the office.
Reward yourself
One way that I motivate myself to do something when I don't feel like doing it, is to tell myself that if I get through the work that I need to, I will give myself a little reward. For instance, I may tell myself if I to get up and go to the club I can take five to 10 minutes off my treadmill exercise, which will shorten my workout routine, and I'll allow myself to sit in the hot tub for a few extra minutes. Hey, it works!
Other examples: Maybe you are a mortgage broker who feels like sleeping in. Tell yourself that after the next three mortgages you close you will take your kids to the fair, or your spouse to the movies. Maybe you’ll give yourself a night on the town with old friends.
Reconnect the action with pleasure rather than pain
Psychologists have long told us that we humans tend to connect every action with either pleasure or pain. Tony Robbins has popularized this even further in the last few years with something he calls Neural Associations. That is, we connect every action with either a pleasure, or pain. When we are finding ourselves lacking motivation, what we are probably finding about ourselves is that we are associating the action that we are thinking about with pain, rather than pleasure. For instance, when I'm considering that not going to the health club on any given day, I am usually associating going and working out with having no time, the pain of exercising and weight lifting, or the boringness of running on a treadmill for an extended period of time. What I can do to re-associate is to remind myself that by going in and doing my exercise I will feel better about myself, I will lose weight, and I will live longer. This brings me pleasure. When we begin to run those kinds of tapes through our minds, we find our internal motivating force unleashed and changing our attitude about the action that we are considering.
Other examples: Maybe you are a counselor who really doesn’t want to spend the day listening to people. Your association may be that it will be boring, or that you will be inside while it is sunny outside. Instead, re-associate yourself to the truth of the matter: Someone will be better off because of your care and concern. Think of your clients and the progression they have been making recently and how you have been a part of that.
CHRIS WIDENER
Chris Widener is a popular American motivational speaker, author, and owner of two very popular motivational websites online (Made for Success & Extraodinary Leaders).
by Chris Widener
“The measure of your success usually comes down to who wins the battle that rages between the two of you. The ‘you’ who wants to stop, give up, or take it easy, and the ‘you’ who chooses to beat back that which would stand in the way of your success - complacency.” Chris Widener
In all of my interactions with people, I've never found anyone, regardless of their level of success, who doesn't sometimes find themselves simply not wanting to do the things that they need and want to do. It is a part of human nature that there will be times that, in spite of all that we need to do, and even desire to, we will find ourselves not wanting to do anything. And what separates those who will become successful from those who will maintain the status-quo, is the ability at those very crucial moments of time when we are making decisions about what we will do, to choose to find the inner motivation that will enable us to conquer our complacency and move on in action.
I find that I confront this issue in my life on a regular basis, so the following success strategies are not merely pie in the sky techniques, but proven ways to get yourself to go even when you don't feel like doing anything. Honestly evaluate whether or not you need a break This is the first thing that I usually do what I find that I don't want to get to a specific action. The fact is that oftentimes we will have been working very hard and the lethargy we are feeling is really our body and emotions telling us that we simply need a break. And this is where it takes real intellectual honesty because when we don't need a break our mind is still telling us we need a break! But sometimes we do need a break. I'll give you a good example. I don't particularly like to exercise, but I do almost every day. Sometimes, I find myself before going to the club thinking about how I just didn't feel like going. Most of the time I am just being lazy. However, sometimes I realize that my body needs a break. So from time to time I will take a one or two daybreak from working out. The benefits of this are two-fold: One, my body gets a break to regenerate itself. Two, after a day or two, I begin to miss my workout, and eagerly anticipate a turning to the gym.
Other examples: Perhaps you are a salesman who has been phoning clients for a week straight, day and night. You wake up one morning and just don’t feel like doing it any more. Well, take a break for the morning. Go to a coffee shop and read the paper. Go to the driving range and hit some golf balls. Take a break and then get back to it!
Start small
I'm at a point in my workout schedule now where a typical workout day for me consists of 30 to 45 minutes of aerobic exercise, and about 30 minutes of weight lifting. So when I find myself not wanting to get up and go to the gym, I will sometimes make a commitment to go and just do a smaller workout. Instead of deciding not to go, I'll commit to doing 15 to 20 minutes of aerobic exercise and 15 to 30 minutes of weight lifting. This is also good for two reasons. One, I actually get some exercise that day. And two, it keeps me from getting into a cycle of giving up when I don't feel like moving toward action.
Other examples: Maybe you are a writer who simply doesn’t want to write today. Instead of the long day writing you had planned, decide that you will at least outline a couple of new articles. You will at least get these done, and you may have found that you put yourself into the writing mood after all.
Change your routine
I have found that what keeps me in the best shape and burns the most calories for me, is to do 30 to 45 minutes on the treadmill every day. Now let me be very blunt.
I find running on the treadmill to be extremely boring. Usually I can get myself to do it, but sometimes I need to vary my routine. So instead of 30 to 45 minutes on a treadmill, I will break down my aerobic exercise routine into a number of different areas. I will do ten to 15 minutes on treadmills, 10 to 15 minutes on the reclining cycle, 5 to 10 minutes on the rowing machine, 5 to 10 minutes on the stair stepper, and then back on to the treadmill for five to 10 minutes. I still get my exercise, but I'm bored a lot less.
Other examples: Maybe you are in construction and you have been working on the plumbing for a week, and it is getting monotonous. Don’t do the plumbing today! Go frame-in the office.
Reward yourself
One way that I motivate myself to do something when I don't feel like doing it, is to tell myself that if I get through the work that I need to, I will give myself a little reward. For instance, I may tell myself if I to get up and go to the club I can take five to 10 minutes off my treadmill exercise, which will shorten my workout routine, and I'll allow myself to sit in the hot tub for a few extra minutes. Hey, it works!
Other examples: Maybe you are a mortgage broker who feels like sleeping in. Tell yourself that after the next three mortgages you close you will take your kids to the fair, or your spouse to the movies. Maybe you’ll give yourself a night on the town with old friends.
Reconnect the action with pleasure rather than pain
Psychologists have long told us that we humans tend to connect every action with either pleasure or pain. Tony Robbins has popularized this even further in the last few years with something he calls Neural Associations. That is, we connect every action with either a pleasure, or pain. When we are finding ourselves lacking motivation, what we are probably finding about ourselves is that we are associating the action that we are thinking about with pain, rather than pleasure. For instance, when I'm considering that not going to the health club on any given day, I am usually associating going and working out with having no time, the pain of exercising and weight lifting, or the boringness of running on a treadmill for an extended period of time. What I can do to re-associate is to remind myself that by going in and doing my exercise I will feel better about myself, I will lose weight, and I will live longer. This brings me pleasure. When we begin to run those kinds of tapes through our minds, we find our internal motivating force unleashed and changing our attitude about the action that we are considering.
Other examples: Maybe you are a counselor who really doesn’t want to spend the day listening to people. Your association may be that it will be boring, or that you will be inside while it is sunny outside. Instead, re-associate yourself to the truth of the matter: Someone will be better off because of your care and concern. Think of your clients and the progression they have been making recently and how you have been a part of that.
CHRIS WIDENER
Chris Widener is a popular American motivational speaker, author, and owner of two very popular motivational websites online (Made for Success & Extraodinary Leaders).
Monday, August 17, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Answers to the 2plus7 and Ambit - What is it about?
There have been many questions regarding what the 2plus7 is all about and how it all works.
The 2plus7 program is an ingenious program that offers a tremendous amount of benefits to it's 2plus7 members and also offers a unique compensation plan just for referring others to the 2plus7's benefits program.
This is what you get for only $27 with the 2plus7's benefits program:
•Mortgage software - $1,500 value, pay off your 30 yr mortgage in 1/3 the time
•Nutritionist - $1000 Value, Instruction on eating properly and healthy
•Medical Doctor -$1000 Value, medical updates daily
•Natural Doctor - $1000 Value, natural cures
•Dr. Forex - $1000 Value, learn how to trade on the Forex market
by a professional.
•Event Planner - $500 Value, Secret Savings planning events such as weddings.
•Animal Therapist - $500 Value, books, how to handle your pet and other animals.
•Motivational - $1000 Value, motivational information on audio, and articles.
•Personal Development Coach - $500 Value
•Internet Tool Box - $500, All the free stuff from the internet all in one place
•National Chef - $500 Value, videos, prepare, cook, and present like a chef.
•National Discounts - SAVE THOUSANDS!! on companies like Avis, Chilies Starbucks, Disney, etc.
•Magician - $1,000 Value, learn magic tricks from a illusionist Dan Cain
•Personal Trainer - $1,000 Value, Former NFL Player Jerry Dorsey designs you workouts
•Lead Generation System - $1,000 Value, New leads and leads management system.
•Dancing - $1,000 Value. Learn to dance with a 10X National Champion as a Dance Instructor.
•Tax software - April 15 - $5000 value, created for home based businesses
•Internet Marketing - $10,000 Value, Learn how to do internet marketing.
We also offer benefits through our discount program:
Prescription discount card - Can save you hundreds of dollars a month Automobile membership program similar to AAA ($59 value)
Grocery store - 11 pages of grocery store discounts, $2.50 off diapers, $1 off Tony's Pizza and much more...
Cash Back Mall - Save hundreds of dollars shopping at your cash back mall and get paid to shop...
How do you make money with the 2plus7 benefits program?
It's one straight line. Refer 2 people and you will automatically get the next 7 enrollees that enroll from anywhere in the world. You also get your $27 right back.
You
Your Referral 1
Your Referral 2
Anyone
Anyone
Anyone
Anyone
Anyone
Anyone
Anyone
_________
$27
Your 7 People will always be there.. You Keep your 2 Qualifying Referrals in Play and you will cycle Over and Over and Over!
You can do this as many times as you want. Every time you Enroll 2 it follows the same suite.
Now, do you have to enroll millions of people- the answer is Absolutely Not! Your 7 Sales that you Need to Cycle will Be unlimited! They will always be there Over and Over!
Here is another example:
If you sign up Jill and Jill signs up Bob and Bob is a super network marketer! Lets say Bob cycles 100 times in 3 days!! Bob made $2,700, Bob comes back to Jill 100 times; so Jill cycles 50 times and makes $1,350.00
What??? Jill comes back to you, 50 times and you Cycle 25 times. That's $545.00 just from Bob's efforts that comes back to you!!
You can make $810 a month and it will grow from there by just doing the following:
Enroll 6 and teach them how to Enroll 6 and if they just Enroll 4 you just made $810 for the month.
Become an executive director and you will make $7,290 a month over and over and over again.
Enroll 10 who refer 8 who refer 6 and you will cycle 270 times X $27 = $7,290
These are just the first 2 promotions. There are many more that generates a lot more money.
Who introduced me to it? One of my Ambit Consultants, Ken Tallman, was talking about it one day. He was telling me that the company offers a automotive service for only $22 for the year and its the same as what AAA charges for $59. Not only that, $12.50 of it goes to feed the children. It's a Christian based organization.
You can go directly to the site and watch the movie at 2plus7
To me this was a no brainier and it also can help people with internet marketing, which is big on my list as I have been doing it for many years www.getreps.com.
The other question that has arisen is, am still doing Ambit? The answer is of course I am. I love Ambit and the Ambit Team. Ambit is a really great program that allows people to get paid by offering people a free gas and electric program. The problem, however, is Ambit is only open in New York, Texas and Illinois, at this time, and it is difficult for people to build a successful business if it's not open in their state yet. Ambit Energy
One of the reasons for joining the 2plus7 team is not only does it add an additional income stream, it can help the people who want to join Ambit Energy and don't have the start up capital, a way to earn it relatively quickly.
The 2plus7 program is an ingenious program that offers a tremendous amount of benefits to it's 2plus7 members and also offers a unique compensation plan just for referring others to the 2plus7's benefits program.
This is what you get for only $27 with the 2plus7's benefits program:
•Mortgage software - $1,500 value, pay off your 30 yr mortgage in 1/3 the time
•Nutritionist - $1000 Value, Instruction on eating properly and healthy
•Medical Doctor -$1000 Value, medical updates daily
•Natural Doctor - $1000 Value, natural cures
•Dr. Forex - $1000 Value, learn how to trade on the Forex market
by a professional.
•Event Planner - $500 Value, Secret Savings planning events such as weddings.
•Animal Therapist - $500 Value, books, how to handle your pet and other animals.
•Motivational - $1000 Value, motivational information on audio, and articles.
•Personal Development Coach - $500 Value
•Internet Tool Box - $500, All the free stuff from the internet all in one place
•National Chef - $500 Value, videos, prepare, cook, and present like a chef.
•National Discounts - SAVE THOUSANDS!! on companies like Avis, Chilies Starbucks, Disney, etc.
•Magician - $1,000 Value, learn magic tricks from a illusionist Dan Cain
•Personal Trainer - $1,000 Value, Former NFL Player Jerry Dorsey designs you workouts
•Lead Generation System - $1,000 Value, New leads and leads management system.
•Dancing - $1,000 Value. Learn to dance with a 10X National Champion as a Dance Instructor.
•Tax software - April 15 - $5000 value, created for home based businesses
•Internet Marketing - $10,000 Value, Learn how to do internet marketing.
We also offer benefits through our discount program:
Prescription discount card - Can save you hundreds of dollars a month Automobile membership program similar to AAA ($59 value)
Grocery store - 11 pages of grocery store discounts, $2.50 off diapers, $1 off Tony's Pizza and much more...
Cash Back Mall - Save hundreds of dollars shopping at your cash back mall and get paid to shop...
How do you make money with the 2plus7 benefits program?
It's one straight line. Refer 2 people and you will automatically get the next 7 enrollees that enroll from anywhere in the world. You also get your $27 right back.
You
Your Referral 1
Your Referral 2
Anyone
Anyone
Anyone
Anyone
Anyone
Anyone
Anyone
_________
$27
Your 7 People will always be there.. You Keep your 2 Qualifying Referrals in Play and you will cycle Over and Over and Over!
You can do this as many times as you want. Every time you Enroll 2 it follows the same suite.
Now, do you have to enroll millions of people- the answer is Absolutely Not! Your 7 Sales that you Need to Cycle will Be unlimited! They will always be there Over and Over!
Here is another example:
If you sign up Jill and Jill signs up Bob and Bob is a super network marketer! Lets say Bob cycles 100 times in 3 days!! Bob made $2,700, Bob comes back to Jill 100 times; so Jill cycles 50 times and makes $1,350.00
What??? Jill comes back to you, 50 times and you Cycle 25 times. That's $545.00 just from Bob's efforts that comes back to you!!
You can make $810 a month and it will grow from there by just doing the following:
Enroll 6 and teach them how to Enroll 6 and if they just Enroll 4 you just made $810 for the month.
Become an executive director and you will make $7,290 a month over and over and over again.
Enroll 10 who refer 8 who refer 6 and you will cycle 270 times X $27 = $7,290
These are just the first 2 promotions. There are many more that generates a lot more money.
Who introduced me to it? One of my Ambit Consultants, Ken Tallman, was talking about it one day. He was telling me that the company offers a automotive service for only $22 for the year and its the same as what AAA charges for $59. Not only that, $12.50 of it goes to feed the children. It's a Christian based organization.
You can go directly to the site and watch the movie at 2plus7
To me this was a no brainier and it also can help people with internet marketing, which is big on my list as I have been doing it for many years www.getreps.com.
The other question that has arisen is, am still doing Ambit? The answer is of course I am. I love Ambit and the Ambit Team. Ambit is a really great program that allows people to get paid by offering people a free gas and electric program. The problem, however, is Ambit is only open in New York, Texas and Illinois, at this time, and it is difficult for people to build a successful business if it's not open in their state yet. Ambit Energy
One of the reasons for joining the 2plus7 team is not only does it add an additional income stream, it can help the people who want to join Ambit Energy and don't have the start up capital, a way to earn it relatively quickly.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Health Care Reform Bill H.R. 3200
There has been much heated debate over the Obama and democratic health care bill lately. The media makes it seem that it is a democrat and republican matter. Rich vs. poor and pharmaceutical companies vs. middle America. It's true that they all have strong feelings and opinions on what would happen if the government nationalized health care bill passes, but it should be discussed and debated by every American.
I truly believe that all Americans have strong feelings and opinions on the national health care bill and it is not just some kind of political matter or ploy. There are plenty of Americans that do not participate in politics and I happen to know some. These people are concerned what will happen if the national health care bill passes.
I was lucky enough to have a friend of mine send me the authenticated government copy of the health care bill.
I am posting it so that you can read the health care reform bill. You can get all the facts so you can make an educated decision as to whether you should support the bill or not.
Read the bill and then contact your local congressman.if you have any questions regarding the health care bill.
CLICK HERE TO SAVE AND READ THE AUTHENTICATED 1,017 PAGE HEALTH CARE REFROM BILL It could take a minute or two to load depending on what type of internet service you have.
I truly believe that all Americans have strong feelings and opinions on the national health care bill and it is not just some kind of political matter or ploy. There are plenty of Americans that do not participate in politics and I happen to know some. These people are concerned what will happen if the national health care bill passes.
I was lucky enough to have a friend of mine send me the authenticated government copy of the health care bill.
I am posting it so that you can read the health care reform bill. You can get all the facts so you can make an educated decision as to whether you should support the bill or not.
Read the bill and then contact your local congressman.if you have any questions regarding the health care bill.
CLICK HERE TO SAVE AND READ THE AUTHENTICATED 1,017 PAGE HEALTH CARE REFROM BILL It could take a minute or two to load depending on what type of internet service you have.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Coping and Learned Optimism
Coping
by Martin Seligman
"How you handle adversity in the workplace tends to have much more impact on your career than how you handle the good stuff."
From: Issue 20 | November 1998 | Page 196 | By: Heath Row
What do National League baseball teams that rally to win late-inning games have in common with highly productive workers? According to Martin Seligman, president of the American Psychological Association, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, and author of "Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life" (Pocket Books, 1990), the answer is, quite a lot.
While studying the performance of players and managers in Major League Baseball, and of players and coaches in the National Basketball Association, Seligman found a remarkable correlation: Optimistic teams -- as measured by how they talk about their performance in the sports press -- play better under pressure than do pessimistic teams. For Seligman, the finding marked a new way to think about competition, work, and life. "For my whole life, the field of psychology has concentrated on correcting what's wrong," says Seligman. "But rather than trying to minimize what's worst in life, we should maximize what's best."
Seligman developed the concept of "learned optimism" -- and applied it directly to workplace productivity. "When pessimistic people run into obstacles in the workplace, in relationships, or in sports, they give up," he says. "When optimistic people encounter obstacles, they try harder. They go the extra mile."
What is Seligman's advice on learning to be optimistic? Realize that when you react to adversity, you're reacting not to an event but to how you feel about that event. You may not be able to control what happens to you -- but you do have some control over your emotions. "When adversity strikes, how you think and what you believe determine how you feel and what you do," he says.
Optimism in difficult situations, says Seligman, not only wins close ball games -- it also helps people to grow in their careers. "How you handle adversity in the workplace tends to have much more impact on your career than how you handle the good stuff," Seligman says. "The people who know how to overcome adversity are the ones who rise to the top of the organization."
Heath Row (hrow@fastcompany.com) is a Fast Company associate editor. Contact Martin Seligman by email (marty@apa.org).
by Martin Seligman
"How you handle adversity in the workplace tends to have much more impact on your career than how you handle the good stuff."
From: Issue 20 | November 1998 | Page 196 | By: Heath Row
What do National League baseball teams that rally to win late-inning games have in common with highly productive workers? According to Martin Seligman, president of the American Psychological Association, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, and author of "Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life" (Pocket Books, 1990), the answer is, quite a lot.
While studying the performance of players and managers in Major League Baseball, and of players and coaches in the National Basketball Association, Seligman found a remarkable correlation: Optimistic teams -- as measured by how they talk about their performance in the sports press -- play better under pressure than do pessimistic teams. For Seligman, the finding marked a new way to think about competition, work, and life. "For my whole life, the field of psychology has concentrated on correcting what's wrong," says Seligman. "But rather than trying to minimize what's worst in life, we should maximize what's best."
Seligman developed the concept of "learned optimism" -- and applied it directly to workplace productivity. "When pessimistic people run into obstacles in the workplace, in relationships, or in sports, they give up," he says. "When optimistic people encounter obstacles, they try harder. They go the extra mile."
What is Seligman's advice on learning to be optimistic? Realize that when you react to adversity, you're reacting not to an event but to how you feel about that event. You may not be able to control what happens to you -- but you do have some control over your emotions. "When adversity strikes, how you think and what you believe determine how you feel and what you do," he says.
Optimism in difficult situations, says Seligman, not only wins close ball games -- it also helps people to grow in their careers. "How you handle adversity in the workplace tends to have much more impact on your career than how you handle the good stuff," Seligman says. "The people who know how to overcome adversity are the ones who rise to the top of the organization."
Heath Row (hrow@fastcompany.com) is a Fast Company associate editor. Contact Martin Seligman by email (marty@apa.org).
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