Different people have different approaches to potentially challenging events. Some people have a positive attitude. Bearing in mind what they can control in the situation, they ask themselves the following questions.
What are the positive results I want to achieve? What are the strategies I can follow to give myself the greatest chance of success? How can I translate these strategies into action?
What may be some of the challenges I may face? How can I prevent or manage some of these challenges? How can I then do my best my best to achieve the desired positive results?
Some people may feel concerned when looking forward to a potentially challenging event. Some may get consumed by worry. They may then feel paralysed and not do their best.
Some people may manage their emotions by following the well-known approach attributed to Dale Carnegie. Looking ahead to the event, they ask the following kinds of questions.
What is the worst that could happen? What would I do then if it does happen? How could I do those things and get on with my life?
People who follow this approach often have a positive mindset. They also have a history of being resilient, resourceful and managing setbacks successfully.
They follow the strategies most likely to increase the chances of success. They are also good at reading reality, however, and are agile enough to find solutions to challenges along the way.
Such people demonstrate another quality. They focus on the important things in life and see things in perspective. They believe that, whatever happens, they will continue to do their best to shape a positive future.
Let’s return to your own life and work. Can you think of a situation where you may want to follow elements of this approach? This could be in your personal or professional life.
What may be the specific situation? What could be the best that could happen in the situation? How could you do your best to try to achieve those results?
Looking ahead, what could be the worst that could happen? What would you do then if it does happen? How could you do these things and get on with your life?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
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