Times are hard; there is no doubt about it. Just as we thought we were “done” with years of stress from the pandemic, we are faced with deteriorating news on a daily basis about inflation, the war in Ukraine, climate change and an impending predicted recession. However, it is possible to take these things seriously, make the right adjustments in life, ignore the negative energy they can bring and maintain our hope.

How can we do that? From my experience, this is how people have not only survived extreme stress and disruption, but also thrive from it. We can all cherish these qualities with our friends and family, celebrate them with our colleagues and, most importantly, emulate them.

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1. A Higher Purpose or Cause

John D. Rockefeller once said, “If your only goal is to get rich, you will never achieve it.” Wise words, especially when interpreted: Money and success will follow you in life if your goals are noble, kind, admirable and focused on the greater good. Your goal will keep you moving in the right direction even when faced with serious disruptions, help clarify the way forward during important decisions, and allow you to feel successful even when dealing with failures. have.

If your life journey is closely aligned with your purpose, you will see setbacks as opportunities for learning and growth and evolve to become something better as a result. Celebrities who openly live for their higher purpose include Gary Sinise, who used his resources and foundation to “…serve our nation by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families and those in need”. Another example is John Cena, who recently broke the record for granting Make-A-Wish wishes. Such goals certainly brighten their days, bring them joy, have a lasting positive impact on society, and have a longer lasting and much more deeply felt effect than their films.

2. Directed Daily Positive Habits

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. This humorous, oft-quoted phrase is explored in detail in “The Power of Habit,” a great book by Charles Duhigg. Good habits established and followed on a daily basis can lead to substantial changes over time, regardless of your goals.

Using your goal as a compass, writing down your goals and breaking them down into achievable daily tasks will guide you toward your goals. Outstanding examples include Mike Tyson, who rose to fame in his 50s, and Rudy Bundini, another former heavyweight boxer and influencer who became a successful model and actor after a shoulder injury that ended his career. These world-class athletes fell out of shape to rise back up due to everyday habits, enabling career pivots and further success.

Related: 12 Daily Habits of Exceptional Leaders

3. A Resilient, Optimistic View

Leveling your mind at the start of each day — and as often as needed — is vital. Using some form of protected thought or meditation, peace and tranquility will improve your mood and prepare you for success with your thoughts, actions and, most importantly, interactions. How you show up every day, focus on the positive, learn from the negative but emphasize the negative and accept setbacks as normal will improve your day, help you stay focused on your goal and routine and everyone else uplift around you.

Have you ever noticed how contagious a genuine smile, a kind word or a selfless gesture can be? Why don’t you go for it every day? Oprah has actively demonstrated such an approach, overcoming huge hurdles to become a great success. Such a positive attitude creates resilience and internal balance, as is inevitable when things go wrong.

Related: 10 Optimistic and Inspirational Quotes

4. A balance between flexibility and perseverance

As for balance, successfully navigating material disruption often requires a major pivot in behavior, living conditions, or roles, with flexibility only keeping you focused when your goals need to change. At the same time, recognizing that holding on, being patient and sometimes waiting for circumstances to resolve themselves and stay on track is the best course of action.

Again, a higher purpose and a positive outlook will provide important insights when making the choice, whether you make that choice alone or with the help of others. Knowing when to persevere and turn is critical to modeling in the world to come, as mastering both will accelerate success. Steve Stanulis, the former bodyguard of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, became a successful actor, director and producer after learning about the industry through his connections. Being flexible in exploring something new and persistent enough to master it will get you through unplanned changes.

5. Confidence and Humility Intertwined

Finally, an approach to life that combines genuine humility with a hunger to learn more from life lessons, others and every resource available, combined with confidence in yourself, will lead to paths forward when none can be found initially. Practicing these two paradoxically related traits on a daily basis will help you walk, talk, and speak confidently.

More importantly, they will show you when to listen carefully, learn and make changes based on the other person’s knowledge or perspective. These qualities together will take you far. Active listening is an invaluable skill – people will listen even more closely to what you have to say when you first focus on what they are trying to convey.

This, in combination with integrity, accelerates “The Speed ​​of Trust”, a concept coined by Stephen MR Covey in his book of the same name. Accelerated trust from those you help with your life is directly related to accelerating your success, especially when it comes to career pivots often needed to deal with disruption. All these attributes work together to meet challenges every day that are ready for and expect challenges, aligned and guided by your purpose, and determined to succeed, one step at a time.

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