When I was younger I had a negative outlook on life. I was lonely in high school and lacked friends and self-confidence. I looked around enviously at the “cool kids”. The loneliness created bitterness, which fed negative, cynical and depressing interactions with people. I don’t imagine that I was a particularly fun person to be around at that time.
In the summer of 1999, while travelling in Paris and preparing to transition to university, I made a promise to myself. My commitment was to dramatically change my attitude and embrace all the things that I rolled my eyes at during high school. History club? Check. Intramurals? Check. Theatre? Well I didn’t get a part in the play, but did volunteer as a stage manager. My decision to get involved had all sorts of positive spinoffs. It connected me with new people, helped build self-confidence and embedded me into the university community. Perhaps most importantly, it transformed how I perceived the world. Instead of a being a cynic, I became an optimist. The dividends that I’m cashing in as part of my career (work, volunteering, socializing, etc.) reflects that this shift in attitude has been impactful.
While it may be stating the obvious that people like to work with positive people, recent research is showing it isn’t just our co-workers but also our bosses who are increasingly prioritizing attitude over technical skills. According to an article in CIO Magazine, “Only 25 percent of job success stems from intelligence and technical skills, according to research conducted in the field of emotional intelligence.” So what’s making up the difference when it comes to career success in the minds of employers? According to a recent Environics survey of Canadian executives, the number one characteristic that employers value above all others is a positive attitude.
There are lots of reasons that optimism can turbo-charge your career advancement. Forbes lists a bunch in its article 10 Ways That Being More Positive Improves Your Career (and Your Life). According to Forbes’s Kathy Caprino, the reasons range from optimists’ ability better engage and collaborate with co-workers to its impact on helping workers “bounce back” after experiencing obstacles.
“Using positive language and behaviors builds up support structures and creates new roads to solutions and success. It paves the way for a deeper level of human connection, compassion, and creativity,” writes Caprino.
As the old saying goes, “Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?” If you aren’t so sure if your attitude is worth catching, never fear because there are plenty of tips out there on how you can transform yourself into a more happy-go-lucky person. Here are a few tips courtesy of the personalbrandingblog.com and your friends at The Potentiality.
Our List of Ways to Be an Optimist
- Be as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
- As our Editor has written, resist gossip (especially the really mean-spirited stuff) and try, whenever possible to speak highly of everyone you know whenever possible.
- John’s written about the importance of being generous and sincere with your compliments – if someone knocks it out of the park, tell them.
- Consider taking someone under your wing and be a mentor to support their development.
- When there is bad news, try to find the silver lining and emphasize the positive as much as is reasonable.
- Smile a lot. Sometimes if you aren’t feeling happy, plastering a smile to your face can bring legitimate happiness shortly after.
- Check your stress level. If it’s off the map, it may be pretty hard to be positive. If you realize you are overstressed and overwhelmed, talk with your support network about ways to reduce that stress.
- Look down, not up. It’s easy to look up and wish you were somewhere you haven’t quite gotten to, but a better practice is to look below you and think about how fortunate you are to have advanced to where you are.
- Try to personally surround yourself with other people who share your positive viewpoint. It’s tough to be an optimistic island in a sea of cynicism.
There are undoubtedly many other tips to be more positive, but these should provide you with a good first road map to a more bright and sunny worldview. We promise, both your personal and professional friends will soon be thanking you.
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Photo Credit: Jon McGovern via Compfight cc