Positive Mental Attitude

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Sénèque

"Fake it till you make it", or how to develop a positive mindset.

At a time when the injunction to be authentic is omnipresent on social media, how can we cultivate positive energy? In today’s difficult context — with the war in Ukraine, climate upheaval, inflation, falling markets, and the migration crisis — it feels like we’re surrounded by bad news. It’s hard not to give in to negative thoughts and slip into a state of depression. This heavy atmosphere is often experienced as demotivating and anxiety-inducing for most of us. Yet it’s precisely in these challenging times that we need to evoke positive thoughts, recall joyful memories, put on our rose-colored glasses, and smile to regain enthusiasm and courage.

How to go about it in practice? Regaining lightness and positive energy isn't always easy. This is where Positive Psychology, founded in the late 1990s by Martin Seligman, comes into play. It's a branch of psychology grounded in science that focuses on the determinants of well-being. By studying “what gives life meaning,” Seligman found that it’s the “optimal functioning of individuals and communities” that enables them to flourish.

“We must first believe that our desire is already fulfilled so that its fulfillment may follow.”
— Charles F. Haanel

Positive Psychology incorporates the theory of Positive Mental Attitude by Napoleon Hill. In the 1960s, Hill observed that our mind constantly seeks, finds, and acts to emerge victorious in any situation. He described this attitude with words of a positive nature: confidence, integrity, hope, optimism, courage, initiative, generosity, tolerance, tact, benevolence, kindness, and common sense.

In coaching, Positive Psychology uses these terms to activate powerful levers for development. It draws on the personal strengths they evoke to enhance performance and achieve life goals. Positive Psychology coaching focuses on four key processes:

1. Awakening Positive Emotions

These emotions don’t just create a sense of well-being; they also enhance our resilience. There are many techniques to awaken the positive emotions buried within us: sophrology, meditation, mindfulness, yoga, or practicing gratitude, to name a few. These practices share the goal of helping us reconnect with our lives. By practicing gratitude, we focus on the positive things happening to us and, ideally, express our gratitude to the person involved. This creates a virtuous circle: increased awareness of the “good” around us and recognition of others.

2. Engagement with Others and with Projects

This requires taking initiative. According to Positive Psychology, well-being is found in action. Taking charge of ourselves and our situations makes us active participants in our lives. Give your team some leeway. Encourage them to take initiative and control. They’ll feel more confident and involved, and the project will become their project.

3. Relationships with Others

These require open-mindedness to accept and draw inspiration from the strengths of others. There are no bad employees, only employees in the wrong roles. Encourage your team to assess their strengths and define each person’s role to assign tasks effectively. Give positive feedback whenever possible. What better way to restore team spirit and motivation?

4. Exploring Purpose, Meaning, and Priorities

This involves asking what we truly want to achieve and what challenges we wish to face for our own fulfillment. When every team member has a clear role, they feel valued and involved. Finding one’s place in family, work, and society is a form of self-fulfillment that brings well-being and growth.

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
— Wayne Gretzky

Feeling valued is essential to maintaining a positive mental attitude, being optimistic, and seeing the brighter side of life. But there are times when we don’t feel up to the task, for example, when we start a new role, change projects, or even switch fields entirely. Everything has to be learned again, even if we can rely on past experience to make sound judgments and understand situations more quickly. Still, we find ourselves in a stressful situation and may pretend to be more capable than we are.

"Fake it till you make it."

This English aphorism suggests that by showing confidence, skills, and a positive attitude, we can achieve what we aspire to. By pretending to be, or imitating, the person we want to become, we adopt their mindset, which already puts us in that role. It’s an approach that pushes us out of our comfort zone, forces us to exceed our limits, and aligns our personality with our ideal self.

However, beware: pretending to be someone we’re not (yet) significantly increases stress. This method should only be used for a short period, just enough time to genuinely acquire the necessary skills and confidence. Don’t fall into the trap of pretense or overreliance on positive attitude, or you risk a major disappointment that can leave emotional scars.

Used wisely and within clear limits, "fake it till you make it" allows us to seize opportunities and move forward in life, both personally and professionally.

“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”
— Henry Ford

Hope and optimism are powerful human drivers and are closely tied to a positive attitude. Seeing the glass half full means believing in solutions and in success. As Barack Obama said: “Yes we can!” , sleeves rolled up, he embodied the perfect example of a man in action who succeeds.

And you, how do you apply positive thinking and gratitude in your life? How often do you give positive feedback to yourself and others? What new challenge are you ready to embrace with the joy and humility of learning?

#leadership #positive #gratitude #coaching #feedback