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Many different roads lead to success, and it’s vital to avoid too many wrong turns and poor decisions. The fewer mistakes, the quicker a person will reach the finish line.
But a person doesn’t just have to avoid potholes, detours and dead ends. He or she must also steer clear of people putting up mental and emotional roadblocks.
In a study of hundreds of successful people, completed over a span of 5 years, bestselling author and speaker Thomas Corley found one common and recurring personality trait that countless millionaires and successful people avoided at all costs
No one wants to be around a pessimist.
Corley found that nearly 9 out of 10 millionaires “sought to be around people who shared a positive outlook and focused on success.”
As with any harmful habit, the first step is admitting you have a problem. In this case, take a quiz to find out if you genuinely are a pessimist.
If you’re not, good on you. If you are, there’s still hope. Kicking the pessimism habit isn’t that easy, primarily if the outlook has been cultivated since birth. If mom and dad always looked at the glass half full, there’s a good chance you’re guilty of doing the same. With a little work, it’s possible to slowly kick a pessimistic attitude.
This article is a good start while this piece on Prevention.com offers advice on optimism that sounds crazy but just might work.
TL;DR – stop TRYING to be happy.
“To be truly happy, you have to stop trying to be happy. Instead, aim to be engaged. Engagement bypasses pessimism. One reason: When you’re fully involved in something, it can distract you from a pessimist’s favorite pastime—rumination.”
So if you want to move ahead in work, and in life, it’s best to ditch the Debbie Downer attitude.
[via Inc.]
Chris Illuminati is a 5-time published author and recovering a**hole who writes about career advice, gear and occasionally pro wrestling. Follow him on Twitter.