Competitors are optimistic.
Now, this is commonly confused as always being cheery and positive. I'm not always cheery & positive - but I'll always be optimistic.
Positivity is always saying "everything is fine!" even if the house around you is burning to the ground. It's a false sense of ignoring current realities and being positive.
Optimism on the other hand can be a competitive advantage.
Being optimistic is understanding the realities of your current situation, but choosing to have hope in it.
Take for example this.
You may be facing difficult situations and have your back against the wall. Positivity is "everything is going to be perfect! It's going to workout the way it's supposed to and I'll be fine."
That not only paints a false reality but when we talk to ourselves that way, our brain isn't going to believe us because it isn't based in reality.
Optimism on the other hand admits that this is a tough situation, I may not come out of it unscathed, but how can I make the most of it?
- What can I learn to avoid being back in this situation again?
- What can I do right now to improve my situation?
- I have hope that if I show up, slowly work to improve my situation, I can change things.
Notice the difference?
One is about ignoring realities while the other is about understanding it, believing in your ability, and then choosing to control your controllables to change things.
Optimistic Competitors aren't relying on false imagery or fluffy self-talk to change their world. They're putting into practice repetitive, strong self-talk with facts of the situation - as well as facts of how they can change said situation.
Just like any other muscle, we must build our optimism muscle by putting in reps.
This weekend, find one situation that's been a struggle or challenge. Practice viewing the situation through the lens of hope instead of positivity.
"If I do _________, I have a chance to do _________."
"My situation may not get immediately better, however, I still control how I respond to it and I can ___________ to improve my learning & positioning for tomorrow."
Optimistic Competitors are the ones who've built their grit by focusing on hope and continue to show up in the midst of a storm. Just like you're going to do.