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Many self-help books advise the following way to increase your courage in tough situations: "Just imagine the worst that could possibly happen." The underlying logic is that this will strengthen you for whatever is to come. However, whenever I mention this strategy to people who are discouraged, they tell me they've already rehearsed and anticipated all the negative events so thoroughly that they can recite every tiny detail as if it had already happened.
Instead, my suggestion is to rehearse and imagine the best that can happen. Here's a positive strategy. Let's say you are considering pursuing a possibility that seems a bit daunting. Therefore, to prepare for the great possibilities that are going to require extra stamina and courage:
Relive past successes. Make a list, mental or on paper, of the times you've tried and succeeded. Here is a powerful mental image: Braid a rope of past achievements to hang on to, both in good times and challenging ones.
Release past disappointments. Make another list of disappointments, and then tear it up, literally or figuratively. Shred it, set fire to it, flush it, and toss it in the waste basket. Gone!
Rehearse future possibilities. Produce, direct, and star in a mental movie of yourself exploring this wonderful possibility. See yourself meeting the challenges, bouncing back from any setbacks, and continuing on with energy and determination.
When you go all-out pursuing potential possibilities, your attitude becomes more positive, your energy increases, and your courage strengthens. Even if things don't turn out exactly as you had hoped, you've permanently boosted your attitude and resilience, keeping yourself open to new possibilities in the future.
If you start with the belief that possibilities are abundant and within your grasp, you will begin to see all the new opportunities available to you. If your belief is negative, you will see barriers instead. We all want to feel our opinions are correct. Therefore, if your opinion is that you have the ability to achieve great things, great things appear. But if you are convinced you're mediocre, you will only notice the average. To further support this diminishing belief in yourself, you will actually ignore the extraordinary abilities you have and focus your attention solely on your average attributes! Whereas pessimists see problems before possibilities, Optimists see possibilities before problems!
Instead, my suggestion is to rehearse and imagine the best that can happen. Here's a positive strategy. Let's say you are considering pursuing a possibility that seems a bit daunting. Therefore, to prepare for the great possibilities that are going to require extra stamina and courage:
Relive past successes. Make a list, mental or on paper, of the times you've tried and succeeded. Here is a powerful mental image: Braid a rope of past achievements to hang on to, both in good times and challenging ones.
Release past disappointments. Make another list of disappointments, and then tear it up, literally or figuratively. Shred it, set fire to it, flush it, and toss it in the waste basket. Gone!
Rehearse future possibilities. Produce, direct, and star in a mental movie of yourself exploring this wonderful possibility. See yourself meeting the challenges, bouncing back from any setbacks, and continuing on with energy and determination.
When you go all-out pursuing potential possibilities, your attitude becomes more positive, your energy increases, and your courage strengthens. Even if things don't turn out exactly as you had hoped, you've permanently boosted your attitude and resilience, keeping yourself open to new possibilities in the future.
If you start with the belief that possibilities are abundant and within your grasp, you will begin to see all the new opportunities available to you. If your belief is negative, you will see barriers instead. We all want to feel our opinions are correct. Therefore, if your opinion is that you have the ability to achieve great things, great things appear. But if you are convinced you're mediocre, you will only notice the average. To further support this diminishing belief in yourself, you will actually ignore the extraordinary abilities you have and focus your attention solely on your average attributes! Whereas pessimists see problems before possibilities, Optimists see possibilities before problems!
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