Become an Optimist in 2022

2022 is upon us?when many people reflect and think about the changes they want to make in the coming year. As I've written in the past, I believe it is essential and valuable to build a life plan. After all, if you don't know where you're going, how will you know when you've arrived??

One area I've been thinking about?is just that: what we think about. In other words, what are the thoughts running around in our heads? And how do those thoughts influence our behaviors? As Tony Robbins says,?"energy flows where attention goes."?I also like the quote,?"what you think about comes about."?

A book I've read in the past about hiring successful salespeople talks about the importance of the one factor that makes for a successful salesperson. That factor is?"drive."?Three elements make up drive, (1) is the need for achievement, (2) is competitiveness, and (3) is optimism.?

I'm not sure you can teach the need for achievement or competitiveness. I think you're wired for those elements, or you're not. But I do believe you can cultivate and learn to be more optimistic. I think that's a trait that anyone could benefit from developing.?

We've read how our brains are built to scan the horizon for potential harm or danger. This was a helpful skill for our ancient ancestors when there was a possibility we could be devoured by a Saber-toothed tiger. But today, for many of us, that looks like us waking up in the morning and beginning to think about any difficulties we might be facing in the day ahead. And for many people, by the time they step out of bed, they're feeling pretty anxious and off-balance.?

I read an article once that described cultivating a higher sense of optimism. I liked this approach because it doesn't ask you to fool yourself. Instead, it encourages you to acknowledge what's ahead and how to deal with it more optimistically.?

Instead of just getting up and worrying about what's ahead of you, take a few moments and write down what it is you're worried about and focus on just the facts. Then write down the story you are telling yourself about those facts. The last step is to think about a more realistically optimistic story you can say to yourself based on those same facts.?

The author of this article describes how he followed this step for several months, and at the beginning, it at least made him feel a little better. But over time, he noticed that the negative outcome he was typically worried about rarely, if ever, came to pass. I think we can all relate to that.?

Later, he noticed that when he would wake up, and a challenging issue came to mind - before any negative story could take its place, he had already crafted a more optimistic outcome without taking the steps of writing it down. He believes that he had created new neural pathways in his brain that led him to become a more optimistic person.?

We've dealt with many challenges in the world in the last couple of years, and I think that it's easy to think negatively about our future. However, by making a concerted effort to cultivate a more optimistic?view of the facts, I believe we can produce much better results. So as we close out 2021 and think about the future, I would encourage everyone to start cultivating an optimistic outlook. After all, the alternative is just going to make you feel worse. And nobody wants that. Happy New Year, everyone!?

Quote of the week:?

“Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so.”?

Noam Chomsky?