Perhaps, you must have come across articles on the power of positive mindset and how it can affect your life. The importance of maintaining an optimistic view cannot be over-estimated but often times, many of these articles fail to spell out clearly what a positive mindset really is or how it could be attained. This is what this article aims to accomplish — to present positive mindset in a day-to- day setting from an ordinary man’s point of view.
Here are a few instances or scenarios to help you analyze how a positive mindset works:
Scenario: You are a new in the market and you are about to launch a new product that is to compete with more established brands in the market.
A pessimistic view of the situation is that the chance of ever getting a slice of the market for your new product is slim. You do not see why customers would shift to your unproven brand against the ones that they already used to. Besides, your competitors are marketed by more established and respected companies in the market. This defeatist idea will make you approach customers in a supplicant and apologetic manner – all set to be rejected.
An optimistic look at the situation: There is a possibility that the market is already ripe to try new and innovative products — it often is. Novelty is a big factor in influencing would-be buyers. The challenging odds against you as a newbie could inspire you to exert extra effort and be more aggressive in your selling strategy. Better established companies tend to be more complacent in their position in the market. Your marketing activities may even go under the radar of your competitors.This will provide the element of surprise that could work magic for your new product.
Scenario: You are a new comer in a company. You feel your chance of being promoted or even just maintain your position is an uphill struggle. You are younger and your age adds to your colleagues’ impression of your inadequacy to perform as expected.
A negative approach to your predicament is to avoid being in the limelight, especially during company meetings, in order not to attract negative attentions from your peers. You tend to keep mum, thinking that if you talk more, it may be construed as “showing off” and could stir more hostile reactions, partly due to envy or insecurity on the part of the old-timers.
A positive reaction to the situation is to take advantage of the attention you are presently getting for being a new comer. Instead of laying low which could permanently win you a seat in the group as being quiet and therefore “useless”, make sure that your every word and action that they closely scrutinize highlight your ability and talent without being haughty or condescending. Now is the opportune time to let others see and appreciate what you could contribute to the group while their attention is still focused on you. This is also the best time to cultivate friendship among your peers.
Scenario: You are not able to achieve you goal.
A negative reaction to this is to blame people, the circumstances, or even yourself for the debacle. This admission, however, is not out of humility but due to bruised pride. You lose your self-confidence and the sad incident makes you extra wary of undertaking any more projects. Your productivity suffers because you turn into a procrastinator, a quality most losers possess.
A positive move to take in this setback is to admit responsibility for the sad result but remain calm. Blaming yourself or others for the debacle is useless and counter-productive. It will just create division and animosity among the team members. At times like this, avoid being overwhelmed by the adverse affect of the problem. Consider it as a learning experience. Instead of wasting time over-analysing the bad situation, it is a wiser move not to deal too much of what was lost but focus on what is left that could save or correct the situation. Act as soon as possible to before procrastination sets in.
Scenario: You just won a big contract but instead of being happy, you are overwhelmed by the problems such an important project may entail.
A negative look at the project is to look immediately for reasons for you to fail. You start thinking of your limited resources and of only a handful of employees available to tackle the job. Instead of appreciating and being grateful for the good opportunity you get, you even seem to blame the circumstance that brings it your way. If this reaction is not shear madness and manifestation of ungratefulness, what else could it be? Remember that gratitude is the key to success and by your negative reaction, you are inviting failure.
A positive mindset in this situation is to be thankful for the important project entrusted to you. The problems of shortage of resources and available hands to work on the project are merely flimsy alibis to cover up for your lack of confidence and fear of failure. With the easy availability of outsourced talents, the lack of manpower can be addressed efficiently, effectively, and at cheaper cost. As regards the limited resources, many banks and financial institutions are more than willing to form partnership in big projects like you have. You may partially sub-contract some phases of the project. By doing this, you also expand and strengthen your presence in your particular industry, for having to undertake huge and important projects. Instead of being bogged down by perceived obstacles, find ways to make things work for you.
Scenario: You are confronted by an irate customer.
A negative reaction to this is to fight fire with fire. True, you may have your immediate revenge by putting your customer to his right place; unfortunately, so are you. If this becomes a routine to you in dealing with clients, you may eventually be successful in getting rid of unpleasant customers, AND good ones as well. Bad publicity spreads fast in the market like wildfire. Your treatment of customers, isolated though they may be, will give you and your company a bad image. When this happens, you can bid the market adieu.
A positive approach is to allow the angry client exhaust all the bad feelings inside him. This alone may be sufficient to dissipate his anger and calm him down. He may even make him realize and apologize for his uncalled over-reaction. Hear your customer out—he may have a valid reason for his complaints. In this case, he actually helps you to improve your services or products for free. If the altercation happens over the phone, never be the first to hang up. Besides being rude, this action will seal your fate as far as your good image in the market is concerned. Simply keep quiet except for occasional “yes” to let your irate customer you are still on the line listening to his problem. Treat complaints professionally and do not take them as direct affront to you personally but either to the product or lapses in service system of the company.
Scenario: Your product costs higher than competition.
A negative attitude is to lose your enthusiasm in promoting your product. You approach the market sounding apologetic. You push on the panic button and start on bargain spree and special prices which will adversely affect you revenue.
A positive step to counteract this problem is to come out with more aggressive sales campaign emphasizing the salient points of your product. Without touching on the price difference, subtly make consumers aware that the superior features of your product are well-worth every penny they will spend on it. Avoid instigating a price war where no one wins but the customers and may ruin permanently the future marketability of the products (both yours and that of the completion) since your prices for that particular item will be pegged dangerously low for any possible profit.
Conclusion:
After realizing how positive and negative mindsets actually work, you have to do your part in order to benefit from this realization. Start taking notes of your reactions to every situation that confronts you. Analyze if they are positive or negative. Eventually, this practice of often analyzing your reactions will become a habit and automatically shifts your mind into positive mode in all situations.