Optimism is what helps us deal with unexpected change, crushing stress, and inevitable disappointments.
It’s what prompts us to learn from mistakes rather than feel defeated by them.
Optimism doesn’t just make us feel happier.
It also makes us more confident.
Optimism helps usbelieve in ourselvesand our ability to bring about a solution.
Case in point: the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals.
These talented athletes were already great at the mechanics of pitching, batting, and fielding.
But the Cards hadn’t won a World Series in 20 years.
They needed to learn how to cultivate optimism and confidence.
The season I worked with them, the Cards won their first World Series in two decades.
I worked with them again in 2011 when they won a second time.
This is a testament to the fact that optimism can definitely be learned.
Here are seven ways to cultivate optimism and confidence in your own life.
Focus on solutions, not on problems.
Play a 30-second “movie” of your life daily.
Set aside 30 seconds every day to play this movie in your mind.
Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to do it.
Find any improvement to the current situation.
Minimize obstacles to success.
What kinds of distractions or obstacles routinely get in the way of meeting your goals?
Is it your to-do list?
Unproductive habits?Negative peopleor saboteurs?
One of the keys to achieving optimism is to make steady progress, and that means limiting distractions.
If you waste time on the internet, then don’t go online.
Succeeding rather than failing keeps you optimistic.
Conjure up an inner coach.
Many of us are more confident and perform better when someone is cheering us on.
Yet a part of being a successful person is being self-aware and accountable to oneself.
One way to reinforce these traits is to conjure up a coach in your mind.
Recall a role model who inspired and challenged you.
Give yourself daily “done wells.”
Get in the habit of recognizing “done wells.”
Take a few moments every day to ask the question, “What have I done well today?”
This simple gesture reinforces optimism on a daily basis.
The answers accumulate and eventually help you develop self-confidence, which is extremely important for success.
Nurture a happy body.
A happy body helps you generate happy thoughts and emotions.
Optimism is easier when you feel good.
If you have a big goal to achieve, “train” for it like a professional athlete.
