8 Tips for Overwhelming Your Negativity
Doyle Slayton | Jul 26, 2009 | Comments 19
Earlier in the week I promised to share an “old school” tactic that I use to overcome negative thoughts and emotions. I’ll start by admitting there is one main thing that affects my attitude. I expect to produce massive results and make a lot of money. At points where I am not producing these giant results, I find myself fighting negative frustrations and emotions.
So what is this old school technique? Once I get past the venting stage, I launch a full scale attack and overwhelm “the enemy” with unbelievable amounts of activity. I’m talking about sitting at my desk for hours at a time busting out 300+ phone calls in a single week. I channel all the frustrations out through positive action… driving myself though a behavior that is going to forcibly change the way I am thinking and feeling. In turn, it will positively impact the root cause of my frustrations… my performance!
Sure, at the time, I’m thinking, “This better pay off!” The good news is… it always does!
“Some people have the idea that positive emotion leads to positive motion. Champions think the exact opposite. They believe that positive motion is what leads to positive emotion. They don’t worry about whether or not they “feel like it.” Winners know it has to be done… and so we find a way… and we make great things happen!”
–Doyle Slayton
I loved all of the great reader comments on the previous post, and I think Robin Borough shared 8 tips that are most representative of this action oriented line of thinking:
1. Keep momentum on my side – Whether I feel like it or not, keep the calls and visits going. Momentum usually kicks in and I forget I am down or afraid.
2. Have a great calling list – of people I love and would be inspired to close deals with.
3. Pray – A lot.
4. Pay attention – If I am getting the same null and void responses, then I try a different approach.
5. Push on – 1 more call; 1 more email; 1 more idea. At least at the end of the day, I’ll feel good that I gave it my all. Many times the fruit just takes longer to appear.
6. If really in a rut – I take myself thru a Q&A like this: Q: What am I worried about? A: I’m going to starve and die. Q: Really, you really think that will happen? A: No – but nothing is working. Q: What have you forgotten to try, who have you forgotten to call? A: Many ideas and there are always people (new and old) I haven’t called yet. etc.
7. Highly Effective in the Arsenal - Remember other times I felt this destitute and then trace back all the victories that ensued.
8. The key is to not be stopped or paralyzed by the attitude – Can’t let the attitude keep me from items 1 – 5 on my list above.
-Robin Borough
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Filed Under: Blog • Featured • Leadership • Reader Questions • Sales • SalesTaxi
Agree- Action changes Attitude. Thanks SalesBlogCast for sharing Robin Borough’s great list.
The key is to not be stopped or paralyzed by the Attitude: THAT’S IT!
Cause and Effect…never fails. Great post.
A well intentioned post to help us get through down times. Thank you.
The points look plausible and I’ve used some of them successfully myself.
Also, it would be nice to have some scientific facts on how people overcome “negativity”.
I know it exists. For instance, I have heard talks on peoples ability to “synthesizing happiness.”
http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_asks_why_are_we_happy.html
I’m sure there are other topics that scientists have studied in this area as well and these would be another good source of practical advice.
Mark -
Psychology Today is a good source for some scientific research on layman’s terms. It seems to me they just did some articles related to job searches and career moves.
Love the list. I’ll add a couple of my own!
1. Go for a run.
2. Read a business article or book to get creative and inspired.
Love the list!
Thanks,
Jill
Doyle:
Awesome post.
Thanks!
Thanks Doyle.Great list! One more call or one more email or one more activity. The next “big” win is often just one call away. Focus on the goal, not that bump in the path. Activity breeds results always.
You’ve got it right, Doyle. You can generate positive emotions and energy from the outside in. Smile when you’re down and you’ll feel just a little better. Greet people warmly and they’ll give it right back to you. Pick up your stride, raise your head, and take a deep breath. It’ll raise your spirits a little more.
There’s enough of everything for all of use: enough time, enough energy, enough money. We just have to move past the negativity and live in the joy instead- even when we can’t find a reason to. Especially then. Bring it from the outside-in.
Thanks for this post today. I needed the reminder myself.
This is a great topic, which is not often discussed, but is a reality. Simple, concise and helpful- thank you, Doyle. Greg- I loved what you wrote; you speak my language!
I was in this place yesterday, as I’m in the midst of my job search. I was dejected at the beginning of the day, and felt like going back to bed. Happy to say I didn’t. I ended up employing several of the above tactics, and at the end of the day, my spirits were raised because I could look back and see all that I had accomplished by “pushing through.” I rested easy knowing I did all the right activity to yield results. Today’s a new day and I feel terrific!
Sharon said it best: I rephrase – Triple A: Action Affects Attitude – just as Triple A (Anti Aircraft Artillery) repels an invading aircraft so does “your own” Triple A repel negativity! Listen to that still, small voice when you say “… is what I am going to do” there are two voices – the first one (usually louder) says “that won’t work becasue…” and the softer one (listen hard) that says “YEA, let’s do it!” average people listen to the fist voice, leaders and professionals listen to the second one!
Now, stop reading this and get out there and show the world what you have!
Hank
Great post always helpful.
I usually go back to the basics, Make sure I am doing the things that have made me successful.
Thanks always for your wisdom
Great list, thnaks for sharing.
I would add — go out and do something else to refresh yourself.
- take a walk
- work in the garden
- exercise
Hi Doyle – Great stuff , Heard you on the Sales Roundup Podcast this morning on the treadmill , Wish I found you sooner- Great site and content , I will be on this site alot – Thanks Max
Hi Doyle and Team – What a timely discussion.
Doyle – I thought about your old-school tactic and jumped right in. Started employing it yesterday, 7/28. I wonder… Maybe we can have a contest with all your readers. We can keep it simple and easy to measure. I suspect a 30-day outcome would be: Everyone’s business will spike and negative emotions will be abolished!
We can also share what seems to be working as we go thru the cycle.
I’m in – how about everyone else?
Robin Borough
Omnikron Systems Inc.
What great timing!
I was sitting at my desk thinking to myself “What is my problem today?” I just couldn’t seem to find the motivation to do anything.
Sometimes all it takes is a kick in the butt to get things going.
Thanks for posting this Doyle!
Great article and tips. Another thing I do that I find extremely helpful is reframing how I think about a situation. If I am thinking of the task in a negative, uncreative, subtractive way, it is guaranteed to slow my momentum. Once I’m aware of this, I start looking for ways to reframe my outlook to a more positive, additive and less subjective perspective, without redefining reality. Just change my perspective. Just by removing the negative charge, I increase the momentum.
Hello again Doyle,
I agree with your thought on motion yielding emotion. It’s harder to hit a moving target, right?
Robin put together a great list and, with that in mind, can I be so bold as to potentially add to it?
#9 Learn something New.
We’re green and growing or ripe and rotting. I’ve lived a hypothesis for years that someone eminently more qualified than I developed into a theory…
Here’s my suggested link to some great (and current) material on Fredrickson’s “Broaden-and-Build” theory from which I hope your readers gain value:
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1693418
You can click on the .pdf link for the full text.
Hope this helps,
Victor Valerga
Doyle,
This reminder of how I used to work has really helped me today to get back on track. Keep away from the negative and hopefully the positive attitude will rub off on my team (catch the fever).
Teresa