Emotional resilience

I was listening to the radio today coming over a beautiful canyon in Southern California and the guest on this show was Harvard Professor and author Daniel Gilbert, who was discussing his new book Stumbling on Happiness.

I really enjoyed what he was saying and came home and looked up his website and recommend you take a look and nose around.

One thing he mentioned was the ability humans have to bounce back from disappointing or bad experiences, and even find "good" in those experiences. He talked about how people fare better than they think they're going to if something "bad" happens....because humans are naturally resilient.

That got me thinking about Dynamic Transitioners I have been working with and how true that is! I like the idea that we are stronger and more resistant to tragedy than we may think. In fact, when seemingly bad things happen to humans, we actually have a trait of "finding the good" in whatever we're experiencing.

Think about your own situation right now. You are the sum total of all of your experiences up to this point...good and bad. And this ability to soldier on, to persist, to beat the odds, is one of the greatest sources of inspiration we have. Those who inspire almost always have a story of overcoming negative forces. The hope, the faith comes from that "coming up over", doesn't it?

Persistence is key to a successful life. Persistence goes after what it wants and stays the course, no matter what. Persistence says, "Don't give up. Success is right around the corner. The setbacks you've experienced along the way are just that - set backs. Keep going into the new dawn."

Persistence is bold and fearless. Most people give up too soon, surrender too easily. When you are discouraged and want to give up, remember Persistence and say, "No, I refuse to give up. I will be persistent and steadily put one foot in front of the other until the new dawn appears." You are resilient, as Daniel Gilbert points out. You are emotionally stronger than you think. What appears as "bad" or a "set back" might really be a greater success through the lens of persistence.

Turning failure into success

Do you get discouraged and in a low state of mind every now and then? Your thinking gets negative and you get depressed for no particular reason? Turns out, there are times when an emotional housecleaning is probablly a good idea.

Good news. When this happens you can know a healthy balance is taking blace. Your emotions are thankfully throwing out and dissolving old negative thought patterns that are buried deep in your mind. Don't resist. Be thankful that a deep cleansing is taking place. These periods will pass and you will emerge in a lighter state of mind and emotion.

Another success tip is this: do not try to force your success. Some of my Blackbelt Coaching clients tell me about the personal and professional development efforts they've undertaken in the past. I am a big believer in ALL personal and professional efforts and encourage you to embrace these ideas and techniques. However, many of these concepts are presented in such a way that implies if you work harder, go longer, get stronger, take no prisoners!, you will win.

I don't agree. Do you need to be clear and concise? Yes. Do you need to be persistent and confident? Yes. But forcing the result often backfires and you find yourself confused, divided in your thinking, and left with a sense of failure.

I recently posted about imagination and ideas. The Dynamic Transitioning course spends time early on in stretching your thinking and becoming receptive to the possibilities out there that not only help you get by, but make you successful. You've got to be receptive to the highest and best methods of accomplishments. It takes practice and clarity. Exercising your imagination and considering the possibilities can be fun and it is also necessary to turn seeming failure into success.

Ralph Waldo Emerson knew that all progress comes through ideas, seldom through physical and mechanical force.