Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2021
Tag: Adversity
The Obstacle is the Way : The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday
Not everyone knows how to handle obstacles.
Most people tend to quit at the sight of adversity…
Overcoming obstacles and standing tall in adversity are a learned behavior.
To turn your trials into triumphs, you must:
- Change our bad perceptions of events.
- Take directive actions.
- Strengthen your will power.
Change your perception
Your perception has power over you and your decisions.
Building up your perception takes time and a lot of practice.
You must discipline your emotions and objectively perceive your world for what it is and not for how it wants to be seen in order to :
- Temper your passions and primal feelings,
- Become objective and access the truth.
- Stay cool under pressure.
- Stay present and positive.
Your mind is a powerful tool. To actively change your perception:
- Understand that you cannot change the obstacles.
- Understand that you are in control of how you perceive the world and your obstacles.
- Believe that you can choose how to respond to different situations. You can always oppose negativity or shake it off.
- Trust that you are the one who decides of the outcome of the situation.
- Assume that there are no good or bad events in life. By thinking so, you make it so.
- Feel your emotions but get your emotions under control.
- Tell yourself the truth and be authentic.
- Use your personal resources wisely. For example, don’t waste your time trying to understand why a situation is the way it is. Those reasons don’t matter.
- See obstacles as challenges or opportunities to observe, to grow, to improve yourself, to acquire new skills and to try new tactics.
- Do not make assumptions.
- Be present, be bold and take calculated risks.
Take directive action
After you have corrected your perception, it is time to learn how to act it out.
Each and every one of your actions must serve a purpose.
To act towards your goals with your new perception:
- Remember that where you start is not where you will end.
- Start somewhere and fight to create momentum in whatever you undertake.
- Take the time to explore and to learn.
- Avoid complaining and take “directive action”. If you have taken action, persevere and don’t quit no matter what.
- Expect the execution of your plan will be difficult.
- See obstacles as a way to test your character.
- Turn negatives into positives.
- Do not dwell or waste time dwelling on the hand that life has dealt you.
- Take responsibility for your actions.
- Don’t let distractions or failed actions stop you. Instead, fail forward, learn from your failures and don’t take them personally.
- Manage your energy and always do your best with what you have.
Increase your will power
Your will power is something that can never be taken from you.
Maintaining it requires a deep understanding of life.
To increase your will power:
- Anticipate and prepare yourself for adversity so you do not get caught by surprise.
- Forge your strengths and take care of your weaknesses when there is not adversity.
Review
The Obstacle is the Way : The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph is a motivational book that encourages people to withstand adversity and to take action despite adversity. Ryan Holiday shares a philosophical approach, rooted in stoicism, that will help you confront obstacles and turn them upside down.
The Obstacle is the Way : The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph is destined for leaders and entrepreneurs who:
- Face challenges on a daily basis,
- Need to make pragmatic decisions and take calculated risks,
- Want to take their career or business to the next level.
Holiday‘s entire book is based on classical references, historical figures and war leaders, who have distinguished themselves in life and who have adopted stoicism as a life strategy.
Finally, Ryan Holiday also incorporates reputable leaders and entrepreneurs as examples of resilience and will power. If you want to stay motivated and push through your challenges, this book is for you.
Let me know below what you think about this book!
Favorite quote(s)
Our perceptions can be a source of strength or of great weakness. If we are emotional, subjective and shortsighted, we only add to our troubles.
Obstacles make us emotional, but the only way we’ll survive or overcome them is by keeping those emotions in check—if we can keep steady no matter what happens, no matter how much external events may fluctuate.
Focusing exclusively on what is in our power magnifies and enhances our power.
But every ounce of energy directed at things we can’t actually influence is wasted—self-indulgent and self-destructive. So much power—ours, and other people’s—is frittered away in this manner.
If you mean it when you say you’re at the end of your rope and would rather quit, you actually have a unique chance to grow and improve yourself. A unique opportunity to experiment with different solutions, to try different tactics, or to take on new projects to add to your skill set.
Leadership requires determination and energy. And certain situations, at times, call on leaders to marshal that determined energy simply to endure.
Ratings 4/5
Author
-
The Leader Planner13,95€
Subscribe to Journey To Leadership
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2021 Quote Of The Week #192
Quote Of The Week #181
Quote Of The Week #171
Quote Of The Week #170
Quote Of The Week #159
8 Ways Great Leaders Deal With Disappointment
Recently, I have made solid plans around an opportunity that didn’t turn out. Thou I didn’t care much about the opportunity, I was frustrated that the plans that I carefully hatched fell through.
In order to find out why the opportunity fell off, I had a conversation with a toxic individual who spewed lies and venom and with whom I happened to get out of character.
Because I lost my plans for the future and gave away my personal power, I was deeply disappointed in myself and in the circumstances.
If you are a trailblazing leader, are goal-oriented or enjoy making plans for the future, these moments happen often and you will face a lot of disappointments in your life.
That is why, you simply have to learn to cope with it.
Wondering how leaders overcome disappointment in life?
The importance of disappointments
Disappointment is defined as feelings of sadness or displeasure caused by feelings of unfulfilled hope and failed expectations.
Sometimes, an opportunity that we wished for just doesn’t turn out; A person we are hoping for doesn’t show up or act right.
However, life never goes according to plans. Eventually, you will make new plans, you will realize that not every opportunity is a good opportunity and not everyone is good for you.
Feelings of disappointment are hard to get rid off at first but are ephemeral. Those feelings will go away with time.
Once you have overcome these feelings, you will finally understand who you truly are, you can grow as a person, become a stronger person, and build up your character.
How to overcome disappointment?
1. Accept your emotions
Disappointment is part of life and everyone will experience it at some point in life.
Disappointment can trigger a vast array of emotions that you cannot run away from or cover up.
It becomes critical to acknowledge your feelings and find out what exactly triggered it.
Refusing to analyze, confront and discipline your emotions can cause long-term damage on your health.
2. Forgive yourself
Learning to forgive yourself is the hardest part of dealing with disappointment because we are grasping our errors and what we “should” have done instead.
You are only human. You have made mistakes and you will probably make some more.
So, be compassionate with yourself, avoid shifting blame and take care of yourself. Eat well, sleep well and exercise.
3. Reframe your mindset
Now, that you have dealt with your raw emotions, it is time to restructure your mindset, improve on yourself, analyze your situation and mentally distance yourself from your past expectations.
This is the moment when you get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable, when you accept disappointment as a part of life and as a challenge, when you use it to improve yourself and to change the way you have been doing things.
While you are reframing your mindset:
- Monitor your self-talk.
- Don’t expect to be constantly disappointed because you attract what you think.
- Practice self control to make better decisions, to nurture healthy thoughts because you are responsible for yourself.
4. Shift your focus
Now that you have reframed your mind, you have to trust that positivity can result from a negative situation and focus on turning your negative situation into a positive one.
The best way to keep moving forward and to making the best out of any situation is to stay busy, positive, focused and on purpose, to focus on your strengths and on who you want to be.
You can also find out what you could have done differently and make your goals more achievable.
5. Stay present
Your disappointment happened in the past and it’s time to move on.
There is no sense in replaying a situation in your mind over and over again.
It becomes detrimental to your health to be present and be grateful for what you currently have.
If you cannot remain in the present and keep ruminating, it is best to quickly analyze your feelings until you get closure.
6. Surround yourself with positive people
Disappointment can turn into a burden that can be too heavy for one person.
It can be helpful to share your disappointment with people you trust and who care about you.
As a general notice:
- Be careful who you surround yourself with.
- Stay away from people who constantly disappoint you or who hurt you on purpose.
7. Let go control
In life, you must always remember that you cannot control everything that happens to you or around you.
Therefore,
- Don’t worry about the circumstances outside your control. It won’t change anything.
- Trust that life has a better plan and solution for you.
- Remember that there are many more opportunities out there.
- Don’t get too attached to your plans and expectations.
- Expect setbacks in life.
8. Grow!
Remember that life is a journey and that every failure brings you closer to your success.
We can learn something from every life experience, even from our disappointments.
Last Words Of Advice!
No matter the situation, always maintain your personal power.
There is no need to always throw yourself a pity party.
Once you have given yourself time to heal and when you get over your feelings of disappointment, you must think about what you could have done differently and implement the new solution the next time you face a similar situation.
Now that you know better, do better!
Hope that I’ve helped you get it together on your way to leadership!
Don’t forget to like, share and leave a comment below.
-
The Leader Planner13,95€
Subscribe to Journey To Leadership
7 Steps To Be A Positive Leader In Adversity
From workplace bullying to job loss, from an unsatisfied customer to a tough team, from company crisis to personal drama, adversity often catches us by surprise.
Indeed, we never see it coming. If you are a leader, you will definitely be subjected to it and will have to learn how to wear adversity like a badge of honor.
Wondering how to stay positive in the face of adversity?
Why be positive?
Without adversity, we wouldn’t do, create anything or grow as people.
The most effective way to deal with adversity is to stop worrying, to maintain a positive and optimistic attitude.
People enjoy positive people and are most likely to help them. Positive people:
- Are able to overcome adversity.
- Are high performers.
- Are most satisfied with their relationships.
- Focus on the future and are resilient.
- Focus on their strengths.
- Have clear goals. They actively work towards their goals and understand that they can change the outcome of a situation.
- Have control over their lives and see stress as a small bump in the road.
- Know that their mood can be controlled.
- Don’t waste their time and energy on drama.
When life puts you in tough situations, don’t say “why me”, say “try me”. Click To Tweet
There are a few strategies to keep your composure and maintain a sense of self.
#1. Assess the situation
Adverse situations are necessary and often come out of the blue.
Sometimes, the situation is not as bad as it seems.
The first step is to identify the origin of the situation and the possible outcomes.
Then, assess the criticality of the situation.
Finally, come up with different potential solutions to your problem.
#2. Change your mindset
Once, you have assessed the situation, it is detrimental to accept your reality, let go of the past and rework your perceptions of adversity.
You can tell yourself that there are always solutions to a problem, that your situation is not as bad as it seems, is only temporary, or can be an opportunity in disguise.
In addition, to change your mindset:
- Visualize yourself beyond your situation.
- Be grateful for what you have. There are people who are in worse situations than you are.
- Understand that your situation is temporary and that you are passing through and will come out safe.
#3. Gain control over your situation
Staying organized and focused will help you gain more control over your situation.
- Focus on what you can do and measure your progress.
- Write down your task for the day in order of importance so you can focus on it.
- Learn your job and become an expert in your field.
- Learn to say no without having to explain yourself. There are different ways to politely express refusal. “I’ll think about it”, “I’ll get back to you”, “I have a prior engagement”…
#4. Gain control over yourself
Adversity makes everything seems out of control and generates a lot of extreme emotions.
Keeping your composure requires a lot of emotional discipline. To do so, take care of your mind, body and soul.
Take care of body
Exercise to keep your confidence up and to quiet your mind.
Take care of your mental health
- Work on your mental health.
- Take time off and stay in a quiet place to meditate, to make peace with yourself, to cope with your problem, to sleep.
- Quickly identify your thought pattern.
- Express your facts, emotions and your adversity in writing.
- Write down your past achievements and what you did to overcome past obstacles as well.
#5. Keep your vision alive
To stay positive, you must keep your goals and your vision alive.
In doing so, remember your mission statement, your purpose and the reasons why you have joined the company.
#6. Maintain your sense of humor
Making fun of your problems can help you understand them and alleviate your load.
Maintaining your sense of humor in times of adversity is a conscious choice. To do so:
- Have a good laugh and make fun of yourself.
- Try to start your day with a smile on your face.
- Look around and find things that will make you smile.
- Be kind to other people, compliment them and put a smile on their face.
- Give back to your team or to your community.
#7. Muster up a strong support system
Your relationships are what will get you through in hard times. That’s why you don’t have to shut yourself off and you must:
- Surround yourself with successful and positive people.
- Take the time to vent and talk things through with someone you trust.
- Ensure that you make time for intimacy.
Last Words Of Advice!
It is important for you to know when it is time to move on.
Moving on doesn’t mean that you are weak or that you cannot handle yourself.
It simply means that you have control over your decisions, that value your health and sanity more than your job, that you understand life and are at peace with yourself.
Furthermore, remember that:
- You are only human.
- You are not the only one going through adversity.
- Your story can help someone overcome theirs.
- Your past mistakes don’t define who you are.
- You must not take your problems personally.
Hope that I’ve helped you get it together on your way to leadership!
Don’t forget to like, share and leave a comment below.
14 Traits Of Highly Successful Leaders
You do not have to be famous, be a millionaire or own a company in the Fortune 500 to be a successful leader.
A successful leader runs a successful business with a healthy return on investment with the help of a successful team.
A successful leader is able to mentally, emotionally, physically and financially provide for his or her team.
Wondering what are the main traits a successful leader?
To become a successful leader, there are a few traits that you need to develop.
The traits of successful leaders can be acquired anytime in life.
However, it is up to you to maintain them. It will also require a lot of self-discipline, self-motivation and self-awareness.
Trait #1. Successful leaders lead a healthy lifestyle
First and foremost, successful leaders are morning people.
They get a good night sleep.
They wake up early in the morning.
They choose to rise with the sun because it gives them time to think, to meditate, to plan their day.
Furthermore, they eat well and on time.
They exercise early in the morning to maintain their physical health, and to get rid of lingering negativity.
Trait #2. Successful leaders have strong conviction
They have the conviction that they are successful and that they will succeed no matter what.
Their conviction comes from their self-awareness, drive, purpose and their strong core values.
They have integrity and hold on to their principles.
They know that they can accomplish anything that they set their mind to.
They rely on their intuition, make their own opinion and don’t follow anyone.
Trait #3. Successful leaders manage their time effectively
They know how to manage their time and prioritize their tasks.
They are willing to handle the most difficult, most important and the most urgent first.
They say no to things that don’t matter to them or to things that don’t fit into the bigger picture.
Trait #4. Successful leaders value solitude
They regularly spend time alone to reflect and to get work done.
Trait #5. Successful leaders own up to their mistake
Indeed, they make mistakes.
They can admit when they have done wrong and can apologize for it.
They reward themselves for their successes and above all learn from their failures.
Trait #6. Successful leaders take calculated risks
They take risks, get out of their comfort zones, recognize what works and what doesn’t.
Trait #7. Successful leaders ask for feedback
They ask for feedback, actively listen to it, and if the feedback is sound, seek to apply it.
Trait #8. Successful leaders set boundaries
They have set clear boundaries in their mind early on.
They know what they need, want, wish for.
They also know what they will not allow or stand for.
They know how to say no and stand their ground.
Trait #9. Successful leaders obsess positively
Leaders spend their time obsessing positively.
By “obsessing positively”, I mean they are passionate and they can focus their attention on their goals for a prolonged amount of time.
Basically, they eat, drink, sleep, think their goals.
Trait #10. Successful leaders have a healthy work life balance
Even though they can obsess over their professional goals, they make time for a personal life.
They make sure to maintain a healthy work life balance.
Trait #11. Successful leaders are optimistic
They are grateful for what they have but are not complacent.
They do not dwell on negativity and CHOOSE to focus on positivity.
They don’t overthink or overanalyze everything.
They don’t play the victim and take responsibility for their actions.
They handle change, failures and pressure gracefully.
They see challenges as an opportunity to learn and they maintain a positive attitude in adversity.
Trait #12. Successful leaders are whole
Their self-esteem does not depend on what others think of them.
They don’t compare their lives with the ones of other people.
They don’t judge but empathize with other people.
They don’t insult but compliment people.
They don’t abuse their authority or power.
They don’t hug the spotlight but give credit when credit is due.
They do not need to harm someone else to feel superior or to feel whole.
They know who, how and when to forgive.
Moreover, they want to see others succeed. They encourage others to grow, to succeed and reach their full potential.
Trait #13. Successful leaders are wise beyond their years
They have a deep understanding of life and of themselves.
They can assess a situation and its outcome before engaging in it.
They have identified their purpose early in life and every decision that they make can be justified.
Trait #14. Successful leaders are learning machines
They are open-minded.
They are always learning, always evolving and always growing.
They understand that learning is a never-ending process, no matter their age or status.
On the flip side, they constantly want to share their knowledge with the world.
Last Words Of Advice!
Successful people inspire and act as role models for others and for their own organization.
Therefore, be mindful of your actions and of your words.
Hope that I’ve helped you get it together on your way to leadership!
Don’t forget to like, share and leave a comment below.
Quote Of The Week #81
Quote Of The Week #75
You must be logged in to post a comment.