Whether on the golf course or in the office, resilience breeds success. You may hit a great drive, but the wind may push your ball a bit off course. You may be pushing hard to hit that quarterly sales bonus level, but that final order comes in a bit too late. Resiliency is about moving forward. It’s about coping with stressors, successes, and disappointments, then moving on to the next challenge.
Resilient people don’t let life get them down. They accept that there are ups and downs. The crucial mindset is the belief that if you continue on your path, success is inevitable.
But no one has unlimited resilience. As human beings, we all need to take care of our health to keep our resiliency strong. It is important to practice good sleep, exercise, and dietary habits, writes Christine Allen, a workplace psychologist and executive coach, in Forbes Magazine, Allen also identifies eight key techniques successful people practice to gain the competitive advantage of resilience.
By following the growth mindset, you set yourself up for success. The growth mindset views every experience as an opportunity to learn and grow. There is no such thing as a wasted experience.
Resiliency is created naturally when people focus on their experiences as part of a broader mission or goal. The impact of bad stress is lessened in people who believe they are working to help others or achieve a larger purpose.
Anxiety and fear can be reframed as helpful. For example, performers often feel the jitters before getting on stage. Thinking of nervousness as your way of gearing up for peak performance creates a sense of resilience that augments performance.
Self-compassion is important. Resilient people let go of negative self-criticism. It is unhelpful. Emotional agility requires the ability to understand your thoughts and being able to let them go.
It is important to take time throughout the day to rest and recover. Our reserves are not endless.
The old saying laughter is the best medicine applies to resilience. Those who are happy perform better than those who are cynical and over wrought.
Resilience is best developed in social situations. People who have positive relationships and support have greater resilience.
Remember to take the long view. Building resistance takes time and practice. With consistent attention to these techniques, you can feel the power of a resilient attitude.