Do you take time to notice your thoughts and whether they are helping you or hindering you in the moment? We all have them – fears, worries, doubts, frustrations . . .

The difference in people who thrive in the face of challenges and setbacks (rather than withdrawing or freezing) is their ability to notice when they fall into unproductive thinking and then being able to quickly shift to more productive thoughts and purposeful action. Being more resilient in the moment.

Here’s a quick video on two ways overcoming my inner obstacles has made a big difference in how I approach challenges – and awesome (kinda scary) opportunities!

Think of it like the game at a carnival where you whack the mole that keeps popping up . . .

Building your resilience to quickly bounce back from setbacks and be less fazed in the first place is just like that game – but instead of whacking a mole, you whack your counterproductive thoughts – and direct your energy in a more positive and productive way.

Like any skill it takes practice to build. The more you do this, the more natural it will come. And, you stop wasting so much mental energy on worry, frustration and doubt.

Taking Action

What’s a challenging situation for you?

What are your counterproductive thoughts? And how can you generate a better response in the moment i.e. reframe ” A better way to see this is . . .”?

Now, what’s a more purposeful action you can take?

What Next?

You can sign up for Stacey’s masterclass, The Confident “No” here.

Stacey L. Olson is a Leadership and Certified Positive Psychology Coach, has 15 years of corporate experience and has gone through her own transformational change from burning out to balanced in life while performing at a high level (both in her corporate career and own business). She works with professionals who want to work less, live more and be their best even with all the demands, high expectations and messiness of everyday life. Stacey is the founder of The Balanced Leader™ program and offers executive and leadership coaching, workshops, and speaking.