Pearls of Wisdom for a Positive Mindset

I've looked back on my career, and I've been through some doozies. Worked for an Oil & Gas company in the late 1990s - hello post-war oil crisis; a Managed IT provider through the 2008 mortgage crisis; a tech company that suddenly went private just as I was learning how the stock market worked; a mainframe software company that a hardware company acquired; a video conferencing company during a pandemic. Today, I work for a FinTech company during a Crypto decline and economic recession.

You "could" look at that as a series of unfortunate events... but you can also look at it as a list of positive life experiences that brought me where I am today.

I recently watched the Netflix documentary by Jonah Hill "Stutz". Phil Stutz is Hill's friend and a renowned Hollywood therapist. (10/10 recommend). Stutz gives tons of great advice through friendly banter and drawings. One of my favorites in his set of tools was The String of Pearls concept. This is a particularly helpful tool for staying positive in business.

The String of Pearls is a mental exercise that involves creating a mental image of a string of pearls. Each pearl on the string represents a positive experience, achievement, or quality that you possess. These pearls can be from any area of your life, including your personal and professional life.

The idea behind the String of Pearls is that by focusing on the positive aspects of your life, you can shift your mindset from negativity and self-doubt to confidence and optimism. By actively seeking out positive experiences and achievements and acknowledging and celebrating them, you can create a sense of momentum that propels you toward your goals.

My Oil and Gas experience was also at the same time as the rise of websites and digital art. I learned how to write HTML and create Flash animations. The Managed IT Provider afforded me limitless creativity and the chance to host events at the 2010 Winter Olympics. The tech company is where I learned digital demand generation and media planning (that company is still top-notch at what they do!) The Mainframe company taught me customer journey mapping, design thinking, and how to dabble in data science. Video Conferencing during a pandemic? I learned how to move fast and break things. All positives - all part of my String of Pearls.

To create your own String of Pearls, start by identifying your life's positive experiences and achievements. These could be anything from a successful project at work to a personal accomplishment, (...I can teach you HTML and Flash animation if you're interested).

Next, visualize the experiences as a pearl on a string. Imagine each pearl glowing with bright, positive energy. As you add each pearl to the string, feel a sense of pride and accomplishment, and take the time to celebrate each one.

Once you have created your String of Pearls, use it as a tool to stay positive in business. When you are faced with a challenging situation or a setback, take a moment to look at your string and remember all of the positive experiences and achievements that you have had.

Your String of Pearls is a simple yet effective tool for staying positive throughout your career. By focusing on the positive experiences and achievements in your life, and by visualizing them as glowing pearls on a string, you can create a sense of momentum that can help you to stay motivated and confident, even in the face of challenges. Not only does a positive mindset make it easier to tackle challenges, but it also helps build strong relationships and a resilient business.