How do you see the world? If you are like most people, you focus on all the things that are wrong with it. There is the terrorist threat from Al Qaida. There is global warming. There are gangs and drugs. There is poverty and hunger. The list goes on and on. It is pretty depressing. It takes away all your energy. It makes you feel ineffective. It makes you wonder what the point of even trying is.
You are actually wired to see the world in this way. Our nervous systems are hard-wired to be sensitive to negative signals of impending danger. This is so that we can solve or eliminate whatever is preventing our success, and bring ourselves back to a neutral state. This way of thinking actually protects us under very difficult circumstances. Most people think like this most of the time. It has become their dominant mode of thought.
Why is this such a bad thing? It creates a pervasive anxiety. Anxiety erodes our confidence; and confidence is crucial for productivity and success. Our anxiety blinds us to the possibilities and opportunities around us.
What would happen if we focused on all the things that are beautiful and inspiring in the world? There are people who perform courageous acts of love for others. There are mountain meadows, and tide pools on the beach. There is fact that we live in a nice home and have 3 good meals a day. There are rainbows. What if we saw the world with the wonder of a small child?
What if you searched for, and found, all the good things around you? You could then take your personal assets, the assets of the people around you, and the assets of the situation that is going on right now; and build something very special out of them. You would not just be able to see opportunities and possibilities. You would also be able to use your own assets and the assets of the people around you to take advantage of those opportunities and create something special.
You would feel motivated and energetic. You would feel purposeful and passionate. You would feel proactive and creative. You would be focused on making those things happen that you want in your life. It feels a lot better, and is a lot more productive, to do that than it does to focus on preventing and correcting the things that you don't want in your life.
Get to know your talents and strengths really well. Get to know your goals well. See yourself (and everyone else) as a work in progress, yet as perfect the way you are. You, and everyone else, are always good enough yet always learning and growing.
See the good in other people. Compliment others out loud and often. Imitate the best qualities of others. Accept other people for who they are; not for who you think they should be, or would like them to be. When conflicts happen, realize that both viewpoints could be right simultaneously so that you can see how to create a new view together. When other people are irritating you, look for their motivations, so that you realize that irritating behavior is something everyone does, and look for their more attractive qualities. If the person is being abusive or dangerous, however, just do whatever you need to do to stop interacting with them until it is safe.
Examine situations, good or bad, thoroughly. Search out every angle. The more you can see about the situation, the more you have to work with. See challenges, not threats. Focus on progress, not perfection. Focus on possibilities, not problems. Practice breathing slowly and deeply in difficult situations. See reality clearly, accept it, and then problem solve from that view. If you look for the positive you will find it.
It is much easier to be successful when you find the opportunities and possibilities in every situation, the people who are capable and willing to help you, and the best qualities in yourself to get the job done. Seek out and focus on the best in yourself, other people, and the world around you. You'll be more successful than you imagined.
Author Resource:-
Tracy Crowe is the author of this article.
For more ideas about how to be truly successful, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
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