When I was younger, I did not value positivity, but now I value positivity as a tool for success.  A big part of success is taking on challenges or just running into challenges as part of your normal journey. A person can write an amazing sales proposal; however, there is no guarantee that the other party is going to accept it. A salesperson might ask ten or more people to get that one “yes.”  A great batter in baseball only bats around .350. That means they fail 6.5 out of ten times.  Rejection and challenges are just a part of life.

It’s challenging to stay positive among life’s ups and downs. It’s important to stay positive in the face of challenges even when you don’t feel like it.  Our brains are wired to look for threats and negativity.  This is why you can have an awesome day, yet the only thing you can think of is that one thing that went wrong. This could be a flippant comment by a coworker, a rude waiter, or someone who cut you off.  We all have had those situations that sap our positivity and joy.

My challenges surrounding my disability are very tangible and obvious. I watch people perform activities that take them no time which takes me more effort and more energy. I have to deal with my body preventing me from doing the simple activities and I have to deal with not having free flowing speech. In addition, I happily take on amazing dreams. I am always trying to build a company. I’m trying to inspire people.  And, I have the honor of raising two beautiful boys.  These challenges can be daunting and have many discouraging moments. Yet, for the most part, I am a very positive person.

How

My view is that motivation and inspiration with regards to positivity is something within yourself. A mistake that people make is that they look to outside factors for motivation, inspiration, and positivity. While you can use external motivations, it’s up to you to seek and digest the positivity just like it’s up to you to find food when you are hungry or a drink when you are thirsty.

1. Spend time with positive people. Moods are contagious just like the common cold. I was fortunate, but didn’t value the fact that my parents are the most positive people I have ever met.  Even though my parents had challenges, they were always positive in the face of them.  When I started working and hiring people, I did not value positivity and the effect that it would have on my goals. You want people who say “you got this” when you encounter a challenge instead of freaking out or suggest that you act like a victim. My parents never allowed me to act like a victim. Everybody that I work with needs to be positive and inspire me. A baseball player needs people around who are positive when they are going through a slump. When you don’t have positive people around you, they can validate your victimhood, have you blame other factors or make you question yourself.
2. Emotional diet. It’s up to you to consume positive information and limit yourself from negative information. As human beings, we are fascinated by negative stories- just watch how many people stare at a car accident. When we are facing challenges, it can be comforting to watch other people struggle because we feel that we are not alone.
3. Positivity is a choice. Life is about perspective. Your thoughts and your actions have the potential to impact the way you feel about your life. Choose the actions and habits that will bring you into a positive mood. Whether that’s hanging around positive people, listening to good music, or reading a positive book it’s up to you to motivate yourself.
4. No matter how bad you are hurting, there is something positive in your life. Being grateful for that one thing can shift the moment from negative to positive.

It’s challenging to be positive because engaging with challenges can get in the way. The life that you want to live is waiting for and you need to achieve your goals with positivity.

Summary: 

Facing challenges with positivity is the only way to keep moving forward on the road to amazing success.