Bruce Kasanoff* says that while it’s hard not to feel discouraged when things are going badly, a negative attitude never helps the situation.
The most likable people generate their own energy. Their attitude does not depend on everything going well and everyone being grateful for their good work.
They are just positive because they are positive.
I know all the reasons why this is hard. I know what it’s like to be grumpy, discouraged, and frustrated.
I’ve had years in which nothing in my career seemed to be working. Was I positive the whole time? No.
That was probably a big part of the problem.
Associate Dean of Executive Education at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, Kim Cameron cites the power of the ‘heliotropic effect’.
He writes: “This effect is defined as the tendency in all living systems toward that which gives life and away from that which depletes life — toward positive energy and away from negative energy.
“All living systems have an inclination toward the positive.
“For example, plants lean toward the light; people learn and remember positive information faster and better than negative information; positive words predominate over negative words in all languages.
“All life forms, from bacteria to mammals, possess an inclination toward positive energy.
“So strategies that capitalise on the positive similarly tend to produce life-giving, flourishing outcomes in individuals and organisations.”
Let’s consider the opposite of being positive.
When you’re in a room filled with people and someone near you is whining, complaining, and generally criticising or attacking others, what do you do?
My bet is that you move away from him or her.
Yes, you are basically one super-smart, highly mobile plant.
Henrik Edberg, author of The Positivity Blog, has a number of useful suggestions for how to stay positive, three of which I’d like to share here.
Find the optimistic viewpoint in a negative situation.
Henrik asks himself questions such as: “What is one thing that is positive or good about this situation?”
There’s always some way to come up with a good answer to this question, even if the answer is: I’m going to be so happy when this day is over.
Cultivate and live in a positive environment.
This is one of my primary rules in life. Your environment always wins. If you hang out with nasty and sullen people, you will become nasty and sullen.
If you work for a Machiavellian organisation, you will eventually operate in a Machiavellian manner.
Go slowly.
Most anger is impatience in disguise. The faster you act, the more likely you are to lose your temper or do something rash.
It takes patience and willpower to remain positive, calm and coherent in the face of difficult challenges.
*Bruce Kasanoff is the founder of The Journey and an executive coach and social media ghostwriter for entrepreneurs. He can be contacted at kasanoff.com.
This article first appeared at kasanoff.com.
