“Remember, a person who wins success may have been counted out many times before. He wins because he refuses to give up.” – Kemmons Wilson (1913-2003) U.S. founder of Holiday Inn hotels
Optimism is the ability to see the bright side of events or situations. Optimistic people generally hold the belief that good ultimately predominates over evil in the world. They look for solutions rather than get beaten down by the problem. Unrealistic optimism of the Pollyanna variety will ignore signs of impending difficulties with idealistic beliefs such as: smokers who believe at some level that their bodies are resistant to cancer; or shoppers who accumulate heavy debt from spending beyond their means; or ignoring signs it would be wise to start a career search when downsizing is happening in their present occupational field.
Optimism is what goes into your vision for a future based on your say-so. You will need optimism to see beyond what is and create a vision from what seems unlikely. There are major shifts happening NOW! If you are an unrealistic optimist thinking life and careers are going to be the way they were before the economic downturn – that is not going to happen! Nothing stays the same. Major shifts are wake-up calls to listen from within to bring about desired results.
Resilience is the power or ability to recover readily from illness, depression, adversity, or the like. Resilience has elasticity, buoyancy. Studies show that resilient people are healthier, perform better at work and school, less likely to suffer depression, win more at sports and are optimistic. The elasticity of resilience is powerful. At first I was thinking of the elasticity of a rubber band. Then I thought no because a rubber band is restricted to its circumference. I see resilience stretching beyond the comfort zone of a known circumference to new possibilities. To go beyond is to transcend. It calls for resilience, because it is a journey of the unknown where doubt and fear can gang up on you.
Leadership is inherent in everyone for it is the call to be true to oneself through self-awareness. In developing self-awareness you will recognize the leader you are as a teacher, inspiration, mover and shaker, activist, making the difference you want to see happen and so much more. The status quo has been shaken up calling for new leadership. Trying to regain what was is fruitless. You are the new leader who is creative, resourceful and full of possibility.
Leadership, resilience and optimism are major characteristics necessary to transcend to levels that are futuristically rewarding personally, professionally, and globally.
Tips & Questions to Build Resilience, Optimism & Leadership
* Be curious. When you are curious you ask questions. Questions lead to resources, which lead to more questions, which guide you to solutions, surprises, challenges, rewards, relationships and playing full out. Remember when you were little and you kept asking, “Why?” over and over again. When did you stop being curious about anything beyond your circle of perspectives?
* Check on your underlying beliefs regarding who you believe you are. Amazingly the majority of people hold scars from their childhood that manipulates their adult life keeping them stuck. The scars are tapes that go something like: “I am not good enough.” “I am not smart enough.” “I can’t because…..” “I am not old enough or I am too old.” You get the idea. These scars are plugs. They are plugging up the essence of you as a leader. You are smarter than you think.
* Wherever you are there you are. At any given moment you get to choose who you want to be. Are you someone who wants to be part of the solution or someone who is a follower without a say in the matter? Do you give in to the negativity sweeping the news media? Look at what is working. Look at your strengths and values as resources to build your leadership.
* Remember a time when you were confronted with an adversity that you overcame. I don’t know of anyone who hasn’t been challenged by misfortune of some sort. I assert that resilience, optimism and leadership were present in overcoming the situation or event. Where are they now? And how can you use them today to be the success you are meant to be?
* If you are undecided on what you want, write down what you don’t want. Examine what you don’t want and from that ask yourself: “if you don’t want what you wrote down, then what is it you do want?” After you have done some soul searching write a vision statement that inspires you enough to take action.
* Play a bigger game and be the winner you are meant to be. After all: Anything is Possible!
“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” – Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) U.S. writer and philosopher
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