When Failure Strikes, Protect Yourself By Being Positive in These 3 Areas We have a choice whether we direct our focus on the negative or positive, and whichever one we decide to focus on greatly determines where we are headed.
By Matt Mayberry Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Being positive, especially in the face of a crisis, is no easy task. The moment something goes wrong, negativity of all sorts begins to take over our thoughts, which eventually goes on to affect many other areas of our lives if we aren't intentional about increasing positive energy.
This is something that I have struggled with for quite some time. It really took a while for me to be positive, think positive and expect positive when everything seemed to be falling apart in my life.
We have a choice whether we direct our focus on the negative or positive, and whichever one we decide to focus on greatly determines where we are headed. A key point that we can never lose sight of is what we focus on expands. If we give in and decide to play the victim card, negativity will eat us up and provide us with virtually no choice to move forward.
Related: The 5 Benefits of Being Optimistic
The absolute worst thing that we can do to hinder our ability to perform at a high level and be successful is to be negative, or worse, be negative in the middle of adversity or failure.
Being positive extends how long people live on this earth. Being positive creates thriving relationships. Being positive can turn very dark times into incredible blessings.
Here are three areas where you should be more positive.
1. In your thinking
Being a former athlete, I know firsthand just how powerful the mind truly is. Everything we are and everything we are not is a direct correlation to the quality of our thoughts. You can't be great without thinking that you are great. You must already be in your mind before you become that in reality.
The same goes for when adversity strikes. The quality of our thoughts matter, and not only do they matter but they will lead us to victory or continual defeat over and over again. Start today to increase your thought patterns. Constantly talk to yourself in a positive and uplifting way. Direct your attention towards the good in your life, not the bad. Do everything in your power to make sure your thoughts are building you up instead of tearing you down.
One of the main reasons why positive thinking has caught a bad rap over the years is because some people will tell you to just think positive and stop there. But that's foolishness. However, when the positive thinking is paired with massive action, phenomenal things begin to happen. Don't just think positive, be and act positive as well.
Related: 7 Strategies for Dealing With Negative People
2. In your relationships
We all currently have or know of those certain individuals that completely strip us of any little bit of positive energy that we may have had left in the tank. These individuals must be shown the exit immediately.
When you look to increase the positive relationships in your life, it serves as a springboard to thinking positively. It benefits you in more ways than just one. Don't wait any longer to get rid of the energy drainers that make it nearly impossible to envision a brighter future for yourself or a way to overcome this hardship that you are experiencing.
3. In your expectations
Failure brings out the negative that ultimately changes our expectations. It's hard to expect anything good to come out of a situation when all you know is struggle. It's hard to expect the best when you have been knocked to the ground so hard that you don't even know how you are going to get back up.
For some, they even decide to give up and quit completely by taking their own life. That's what the tough times of life can do. That's what failure can do.
Nothing is ever that serious to make you give up on yourself. Your destiny is a whole lot bigger than what you are currently going through. I have seen time and time again what happens to the people that let their problems and the unfortunate twists and turns of life define them -- it's not a pretty sight.
Every bad situation, failure or adversity is only present in your life to help you, not hurt you. Remember that!
When you increase the positive thinking, relationships and expectations that you have for your life and your business when all seems lost, failure will not get the best of you. As a matter of fact, you will actually get the best of it as you have decided to grow through challenges, not just go through them.
It's certainly not an easy task to be positive in bad times, but is there anything worthwhile that is easy?
Related: 10 Surefire Ways a Positive Attitude Increases Success
