Everyone wants to be physically healthy. You want to be mentally healthy as
well. The true measure of "mental fitness" is how optimistic you are about
yourself and your life.
In this newsletter, you learn how to control your thinking in very specific
ways so that you feel terrific about yourself and your situation, no matter
what happens.
Control Your Reactions and Responses
There are three basic differences in the reactions of optimists and
pessimists. The first difference is that the optimist sees a setback as
temporary, while the pessimist sees it as permanent. The optimist sees an
unfortunate event, such as an order that falls through or a sales call that
fails, as a temporary event, something that is limited in time and that has
no real impact on the future. The pessimist, on the other hand, sees
negative events as permanent, as part of life and destiny.
Isolate the Incident
The second difference between the optimist and the pessimist is that the
optimist sees difficulties as specific, while the pessimist sees them as
pervasive. This means that when things go wrong for the optimist, he looks
at the event as an isolated incident largely disconnected from other things
that are going on in his life.
See Setbacks As Temporary Events
For example, if something you were counting on failed to materialize and
you interpreted it to yourself as being an unfortunate event, but something
that happens in the course of life and business, you would be reacting like
an optimist. The pessimist, on the other hand, sees disappointments as
being pervasive. That is, to him they are indications of a problem or
shortcoming that pervades every area of life.
Don't Take Failure Personally
The third difference between optimists and pessimists is that optimists see
events as external, while pessimists interpret events as personal. When
things go wrong, the optimist will tend to see the setback as resulting
from external factors over which one has little control.
If the optimist is cut off in traffic, for example, instead of getting
angry or upset, he will simply downgrade the importance of the event by
saying something like, "Oh, well, I guess that person is just having a bad
day."
The pessimist on the other hand, has a tendency to take everything
personally. If the pessimist is cut off in traffic, he will react as though
the other driver has deliberately acted to upset and frustrate him.
Remain Calm and Objective
The hallmark of the fully mature, fully functioning, self-actualizing
personality is the ability to be objective and unemotional when caught up
in the inevitable storms of daily life. The superior person has the ability
to continue talking to himself in a positive and optimistic way, keeping
his mind calm, clear and completely under control. The mature personality
is more relaxed and aware and capable of interpreting events more
realistically and less emotionally than is the immature personality. As a
result, the mature person exerts a far greater sense of control and
influence over his environment, and is far less likely to be angry, upset,
or distracted.
Take the Long View
Look upon the inevitable setbacks that you face as being temporary,
specific and external. View the negative situation as a single event that
is not connected to other potential events and that is caused largely by
external factors over which you can have little control. Simply refuse to
see the event as being in any way permanent, pervasive or indicative of
personal incompetence of inability.
Resolve to think like an optimist, no matter what happens. You may not be
able to control events but you can control the way you react to them.
Action Exercises
Now, here are three actions you can take immediately to put these ideas
into action.
First, remind yourself continually that setbacks are only temporary, they
will soon be past and nothing is as serious as you think it is.
Second, look upon each problem as a specific event, not connected to other
events and not indicative of a pattern of any kind. Deal with it and get on
with your life.
Third, recognize that when things go wrong, they are usually caused by a
variety of external events. Say to yourself, "What can't be cured must be
endured," and then get back to thinking about your goals.
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