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Cultivating a positive thinking and mindset and resilience is crucial when facing life’s inevitable challenges. We’ve gathered insights from CEOs, founders, and other leaders, offering their single most impactful piece of advice. From silencing your inner critic to engaging in uplifting activities, explore these fifteen strategies to empower your journey through adversity.
- Silence Your Inner Critic
- Create a Coping Toolbox
- Utilize Mindfulness Apps
- Develop Worst-Case Solutions
- Practice Consistent Gratitude
- Build a Supportive Network
- View Setbacks as Lessons
- Apply Resilience from Sales
- Embrace Challenges for Growth
- Record Daily Positive Moments
- Focus on Solutions, Not Problems
- Recognize Shared Adversity
- Concentrate on Controllable Aspects
- Practice Self-Compassion
- Engage in Uplifting Activities
Silence Your Inner Critic
Echo Wang, CEO and Founder, Yoga Kawa
Silence the inner critic. It’s a master of negativity, constantly whispering “I can’t” and “I’ll fail.” But you hold the power to rewrite its script. Swap those self-doubts for affirmations that empower you. Instead of shrinking from a challenge, whisper, “This is tough, but I’ve overcome obstacles before. I’ll keep trying, one step at a time.”
Celebrate small victories, no matter how seemingly insignificant. Every hurdle crossed, every task completed, is progress. Focus on your journey, not the perfect destination. Remember, resilience is about rising, adapting, and moving forward, one positive affirmation at a time.
Create a Coping Toolbox
Jacob Coyne, Founder, Stay Here
From my experience as the founder of Stay Here, an organization focused on mental health and suicide prevention, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative power of building a supportive community and practicing mindfulness in fostering a positive mindset and resilience.
One critical piece of advice I can offer is the importance of creating a “toolbox” of coping strategies that can help individuals navigate through challenging times. This involves identifying and implementing personal practices that provide comfort and strength, such as engaging in regular physical activity, dedicating time for prayer or meditation, and actively participating in supportive communities, either online or in person.
Furthermore, integrating practices that keep you grounded in the present moment can significantly impact your ability to cultivate resilience. For example, through the Stay Here mental health guides, we encourage individuals to focus on the here and now by utilizing simple yet powerful techniques such as deep-breathing exercises or grounding exercises that involve paying detailed attention to one’s immediate environment.
This approach helps in managing overwhelming emotions and fosters a mindset equipped to handle stressors more effectively. By actively creating a personalized set of resources and practices, individuals can navigate life’s challenges with greater ease and maintain a positive outlook despite the circumstances.
Utilize Mindfulness Apps
Kripesh Adwani, Founder, Kripesh Adwani
Mindfulness apps are often misunderstood and underestimated. However, I have found them utterly compelling for fostering a positive mindset and cultivating resilience. They offer guided meditation and stress-relief techniques to help manage emotions and adversities.
By integrating mindfulness practices into daily routines, individuals can build resilience, enhance emotional well-being, and tackle obstacles with greater clarity and composure.
Develop Worst-Case Solutions
Nina Joanna, Content Creator, Goals Calling
My favorite thing to do whenever I’m really stressed or in a bad situation is to simply come up with some kind of solution if worse comes to worst.
Like, “If my business fails and I end up in debt, I’ll just get a telemarketing job,” or “If they laugh at me, I’ll just run out and never go back.” It doesn’t really matter what the solution is; simply giving yourself some answer to the “what if” can really help you be a bit less stressed or give you the courage to take action when you need to.
Practice Consistent Gratitude
Bhavik Sarkhedi, Growth Head & CMO, Content Whale
One powerful tip for fostering a positive mindset and cultivating resilience is to practice gratitude consistently.
By taking time each day to reflect on and appreciate what you’re thankful for, even in the midst of challenges, you shift your focus from what’s lacking or going wrong to what’s going right. This shift doesn’t just brighten your outlook; it fundamentally changes how you interact with the world around you. Gratitude helps in building a buffer against the negative emotions that can overwhelm us during tough times, making us more resilient. It encourages a positive feedback loop in our brains, where gratitude breeds optimism, which in turn fosters resilience.
Starting or ending your day by jotting down three things you’re grateful for can significantly impact your ability to remain hopeful and bounce back from adversity. It’s a simple habit, but its effects on your mindset and resilience can be profound.
Build a Supportive Network
Ryan Carrigan, CEO & Founder, moveBuddha
Having a support network is a good way to foster a positive mindset and cultivate resilience amidst challenges. As a CEO and owner of a startup, I believe creating a support network is vital in building resilience in the workplace.
In my startup, I have created a friendly support network that comprises workers and external consultants. These supportive networks are important in building emotional and practical support to deal with potential challenges in the workplace. For example, I have open communication channels that allow employees to communicate their queries. I believe engaging in face-to-face communication with employees is critical in creating a sense of connection. It’s good to always consult other people when experiencing some challenges.
Collective engagement and wisdom from other people is a good way to build resilience and collective encouragement in the workplace. Make an effort to build a support network that is effective in building a positive mindset and enhancing resilience.
View Setbacks as Lessons
Shawn Manaher, Founder, The Content Authority
In life, it’s best to look at setbacks not as defeats, but as lessons. Each challenge, each stumble, is a chance to grow. Rather than dwelling on what went wrong, I focus on the takeaway, on how each misstep can pave the way for future triumphs.
This approach has transformed the way I face obstacles, allowing me to emerge stronger, more prepared for whatever comes next. It’s about turning adversity into an engine for both personal and professional development, ensuring a resilient path to success.
Apply Resilience from Sales
Alex Ebner, Owner, Ace Medical
I’ve taken the thick skin I’ve developed from the sales world and applied it to shaping my mindset.
As a business owner in the medical/tech space, cultivating a positive mindset is crucial when extolling the benefits of our surgical instrument to surgeons and key hospital administrators.
Resilience is paramount, and I’ve built that over time by becoming battle-hardened through facing nine “Nos” from medical establishments before hearing that resounding “Yes.”
The “Eat the Frog” technique is valid for most to tackle their most important/dreaded tasks. My advice for fostering positivity and building resilience is:
“Don’t eat the Frog; beat the Frog.”
When facing a daunting or unexpected challenge, gather as much information as possible right away. Resist the impulse to react immediately. Instead, take a step back, mull over the gathered information, and return for a second sweep.
Your mindset and resilience are much more vulnerable when reacting emotionally, especially if you’re an owner, CEO, family member, and deeply invested in the business personally and professionally.
While going with your gut can be beneficial, taking two steps back before making decisions helps ensure a more measured and thoughtful response. Removing yourself from the challenge for a wider perspective will aid objectivity and help realize it’s just a business challenge to approach with the right mindset.
Each time you’re faced with a new challenge, consider the reaction and response given to the last one. Consistency breeds confidence.
Embrace Challenges for Growth
Stefan Campbell, Owner, The Small Business Blog
As a young person, I knew where my professional interests were headed and how they would be best expressed. My job would not be under the direction of someone else; I knew it would come from a personal business plan, with wins and mistakes as my best teachers. It is with these parameters and no-nonsense risks that I found a spirit of resiliency and an unshakable mindset when setbacks seemed to be the standard.
I hate to say it, but people only grow during difficult times. In moments of cruising and prosperity, there is absolutely nothing to learn and everything to enjoy. While everyone should bask in those positive moments, they should also find trying situations to be a classroom of growth and insight. I can think of no better place than an entrepreneur’s shoes when the bills do not get paid unless the sale is made.
Individuals will foster a positive mindset and cultivate resilience when faced with challenges if they dig deep and take an introspective approach. It is not possible to maintain a sense of “Why me?” when someone automatically decides to press forward and ask, “What needs to be done?” I believe if a person stays ready, they don’t have to get ready. And THAT is resiliency in a nutshell.
Record Daily Positive Moments
Eugene Klimaszewski, President, Mammoth Security
Every day, find one good thing that happened, even if it’s small. It could be finishing a hard task or enjoying a simple moment. Write it down to create a collection of your wins. When things get tough, look back at these notes to remind yourself that you’re strong and can handle challenges.
This simple habit helps you stay positive and shows how tough you are. It’s like having a personal cheerleading squad to boost your mood and confidence when you need it most.
Focus on Solutions, Not Problems
Thomas Franklin, CEO & Co-founder, Bitinvestor
What has worked for me, and might work for you, is to think about solutions, not problems. From what I’ve seen, being negative often comes from paying too much attention to the problems we’re dealing with. It’s really easy to focus on what’s going wrong, which just makes it seem bigger. This kind of thinking just keeps us in a negative mindset and stops us from growing and getting better.
The bad thing about thinking too much about problems is that when you’re always thinking about problems, they take away your happiness, peace, and even how much you get done. They can make you more stressed, make it harder for you to make decisions, and even cause health problems. And they can start a chain reaction, causing new problems that weren’t there before.
So, start by understanding the problem without any bias, and then move on, looking for solutions. Develop a mindset where you think you can do things. Ask questions that help solve problems, like “What can we do?” instead of “Why did this happen?”
Recognize Shared Adversity
Joe Klenk, Director of Marketing, Pennsylvania Institute of Technology
The important thing to realize is that facing adversity is not unique to your situation. Everyone—and I mean everyone—has faced a challenge before and is likely facing one now with you in some capacity.
Realizing you’re not alone in whatever your struggle is helps put it in perspective, allowing you to look beyond the current situation and see through it to a more positive outlook.
Concentrate on Controllable Aspects
Matthew Ramirez, Founder, Rephrase
When you focus on the things you can control, you are more likely to maintain a positive mindset and cultivate resilience in the face of challenges.
One of the best things you can do is to focus on your own actions, choices, and decisions. When you do this, you are less likely to be affected by external factors such as the actions of others, the state of the economy, or other things that are outside of your control. Instead, you can focus on what you can do to improve your situation and make the best of whatever circumstances you find yourself in.
This is a powerful way to foster a positive mindset and cultivate resilience because it enables you to take control of your own destiny and make the best of whatever life throws your way.
Practice Self-Compassion
Martin Gasparian, Attorney and Owner, Maison Law
One of the best ways to build resilience is to practice self-compassion. Now, you might be wondering what a lawyer knows about compassion, but I promise, we have feelings too! I’m incredibly invested in my clients, and I care deeply about what happens to them.
Because of this, I put myself under a lot of pressure, especially if something doesn’t go as planned. Over time, this can erode resilience, and I recently found myself heading towards burnout. When a colleague suggested self-compassion, I was skeptical.
Sure, I have compassion for my clients, but for myself? I thought this just meant making excuses, letting yourself off the hook, avoiding responsibility. That is not my style. However, I’ve realized self-compassion can actually make it easier to stay accountable.
It’s basically speaking to yourself the same way you would to a friend. If your buddy messes up, do you tell them they’re a terrible person? I hope not! You’re more likely to build them up.
So why not do this for yourself? When your inner critic gets too loud, everything else shuts down, including the problem-solving skills you need to rectify any errors. Self-compassion gives you the strength to own up, show up, and rise up.
Engage in Uplifting Activities
Mark Damsgaard, Founder, Global Residence Index
Do something fun to uplift your mood. When facing challenges, I find it quite helpful to improve my mood first.
I do my favorite hobby, go out and eat something delicious, take a break, and be with nature—anything that’s not related to the challenge in front of me. A boost in my mood helps me think and feel better, so I can tackle the problem with a positive frame of mind.
Last Updated on by Mehar Jolly
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