Bright-Side Thinking for Leaders: From Obligations to Opportunities

How often do you find yourself saying to yourself, “I have to get this done”? How often is that followed by frustration, anger, disappointment, or downright demotivation? The idea of having to do something feels like it is out of our control. It can feel daunting and overwhelming. And then the feelings of dread only amplify the fact that you don’t really want to do whatever the thing is. We’ve all been there, sometimes many times each day.

Everyone has things they have to do. Whether we actually want to or not. How we manage the feelings that go with that becomes the determining factor of the outcome of the thing that needs to be done. For certain tasks, like paying bills, it probably doesn’t matter. For other activities, it makes a big difference.

Attitude sets the mood

The attitude we choose (and yes, it's a choice), will direct your feelings and behaviors towards the actions ahead. Our mindset determines outcomes more than we realize. Taking time to think about that each day can help to frame our tasks and actions in a new way, more bright side thinking that can add joy and energy to the work we do.

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference — Winston Churchill

Words matter

How we frame a situation will often determine the thoughts and feelings that follow. “I’ve got to get it done,” feels like it has to be forced. “I want to get it done,” feels like it’s important to me. “I will try to get it done,” sounds non-committal and, frankly, like a built-in excuse. I’ll insert the obligatory Yoda quote here: “Try? There is no try. There is only do or do not.” It is hard to argue with that. “I am going to get that done,” sounds convicted and purposeful. That may be the best combination. It blends choice and determination.

"You've got to know what you want. This is central to acting on your intentions. When you know what you want, you realize that all there is left then is time management. You'll manage your time to achieve your goals because you clearly know what you're trying to achieve in your life." — Patch Adams

More on framing

The framework and mindset of thinking is powerful. Let’s go back to that idea of “I have to pay my bills.” Now, let’s reframe the thinking that goes with that. Instead of ‘have to’ and the thinking of the time it takes to pay it, the concern of the money coming out of your bank account, let’s shift that. I want to pay my mortgage to keep the house I love and have made a home. I get to pay my bills because I have a good job that provides for me and my family. It’s a subtle shift. It may even feel a little awkward at first, but it will help to shift the mindset that goes with a task that may not be the most enjoyable thing. In the reframing examples above, those are also gratitude-like statements as well. You are blending that you are grateful for your house and your job. This will give you the boost of energy to get the task complete and move on to the next thing.

Practice framing

A quick activity you can do to help practice this mindset is to review your current task list or any list of things you know you need to do. Now, take all of those things that you feel like you ‘have to do’ and write them down (that is important) reframed with, ‘I want to do’, or ‘I choose to do’, or ‘I’m going to do’. See how that makes you feel. You may even decide to capture those thoughts as part of a daily journal or just on the paper you’re writing your new list on. I did this myself and oddly found myself smile and, yes, in a better mood as I was completing it. My list ranged from planning my week ahead, to completing yard work, and completing an expense report for work. I was glad I chose to do that.

Planning and time management

Outside of mindset and attitude, planning makes a difference too. When we end up in a situation of, ‘we have to do…’ because now we are out of time, that presents a different set of actions for the future. If you find yourself having to do something at the last minute often and that is the cause of the frustration, then you need to evaluate your planning process. (Still a choice, by the way.) Planning your day and week will make a tremendous difference in the feelings that go along with the tasks at hand. Building in the appropriate time allows that shift from ‘have to’ to ‘get to’ during the time you’ve set aside for it. And, for those that always have things going on or work in a 24/7 business, this is especially important for those Sundays. So many people have the ‘Sunday Scaries’ because they either forgot to look further ahead in their planning, left something to the last minute, or just forgot to look at how they plan their weekend days like their weekdays.

How you think is a choice. And we all have a choice. We can determine the perspective from which we want to see any situation, any task at hand, or any activity upon us. How we frame it in our mind will likely determine the speed and quality in which we complete that action, or even how we act. Remaining aware of our mindset and attitude combined with planning and reframing can go a long way in moving us to brighter-side thinking, less stress, and more enjoyment in everything we do.

How can you shift your mindset to be bright side thinking?

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Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash