Think Positive

I genuinely believe that the culture and mindset of an organization can be the determining factor between successes, failures, and the overall feeling that individuals face on an everyday basis. Whether you are the principal of an agency, the executive of a large company, underwriter, or whatever vital role you play, the power of positivity can directly impact not only your professional life but also affect you personally.

Positivity can be viewed through a cycle of events. For example, thoughts of the past week and looking forward to the weekend festivities can impact the emotions you are experiencing and affect your behavior and actions moving forward. Being able to notice this cycle is imperative in changing our thought pattern, which can quickly become negative, to one that is more positive.

Positivity is a subjective term and can mean something different for every single person, yet, it is instrumental to leading a successful life. Let’s discuss this more on a professional level – you have been working extra hours and late nights in the office trying to close the deal and make a sale with zero luck. It’s Friday afternoon, and of course, the dreaded 2 o’clock feeling is creeping in, the thoughts of hitting happy hour are on your mind, and you already have a negative attitude because of the days prior. We can learn to channel that frustration and change our mindset, which could lead us to close on a deal that could come to fruition within the last couple hours of the day. Often times, situations are presented to us, but a negative mindset could hinder our ability to see the true potential.

Since our career is only a portion of our life, let’s take this into a more personal perspective. We’ve all had bad days, days where it seems like nothing is going your way and no matter what you do, you seem to be going one step forward and two steps back. Sure this can be extremely frustrating, however, it can also be a time to stop, breathe deeply and appreciate all the items in life that you are grateful for. For me, I lean on my friends, family, and hobbies that bring me joy and give me something to look forward to every day.

A positive attitude and outlook have shaped my career and life outside of work. I’ve noticed for myself that if I focus on the positive aspect of whatever situation life throws at me, I can ‘weather the storm’ and come out on top. I think everyone has heard the expression ‘is the glass half full or half empty?’ it is cliché; however, if I can put my efforts into the portion of the glass that is full. I can influence my thoughts that will lead to positive behaviors.

I’d like to extend two challenges to you. First, notice when you begin to have those negative thoughts, as this is a key component to shifting your mindset, and second, lean on those things that you feel are positive, whether that is personal or professional. Being able to identify how the cycle of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are interconnected; and ways that your mindset can be influenced both personally and professionally is the first step in leading a more positive life.