July 5, 2013 – “Life is stressful. Suffering is optional.”
So says a psychologist in my BNI group whose work I recommend: http://www.newrelief4pain.com/
His words are a good reminder to me when stressful news for businesses comes out. Health Care Reform will change everything. Immigration reform will change everything. President Obama will change everything. The Supreme Court will change everything. Yes, things inevitably change, and not always in the way we’d prefer. With those changes comes stress. Suffering, on the other hand, is optional.
While one business owner sees doors, another sees walls. One sees options where another sees obstacles. Guess which one will be successful in the long run? If I see only barriers to my success, I’ll lose sight of my definition of success. If I see only problems and never opportunities, I will miss out.
Successful business owners will find ways to thrive in a new economy that has higher taxes and tougher margins. They will find ways to navigate (should the reform measures become law) an economy with a sudden influx of now legal immigrants. All businesses will experience these stresses. Some businesses will innovate rather than suffer. What about yours?
How do you increase your resistance to a suffering mentality? Here’s four ways:
- Spend time around people who see opportunities, not obstacles. Don’t spend time around those who relish the chance to tell you what’s wrong with the world, with politics, with people, with business. “You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with,” said Jim Rohn. Raise the average.
- Listen to someone you respectfully disagree with. Doesn’t matter if it’s politics, business, family, sports, whatever. Talk less and listen more to those who see life differently than you.
- Manage your social media. You know the people I’m talking about—they’re the ones raving mad about this or that. They ooze negativity in their posts and tweets and pictures. You don’t have to un-friend them, all you have to do is go to their Facebook page and choose not to see them in your timeline.
- Last, take a long look in the mirror and ask someone to stand next to you. State what’s RIGHT about yourself. Then ask the person standing next to you to do the same. It will start off feeling corny. It will end up being transformational.
By Blue Ribbon News special contributor Trey Finley of Rowlett, a business coach certified through ActionCOACH, the world’s #1 business coaching franchise, ranked #77 on Entrepreneur’s list of franchises worldwide. Visit his website at rockwallbusinesscoach.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/actioncoachtrey.
READ MORE FROM TREY FINLEY:
7 things I learned from my 7 year old about entrepreneurship
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‘I’ve got a bad feeling about this’
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