The Power of NEGATIVE thinking
One of Wealthy Affiliate’s greatest strengths is the positivity and attitude of the community. I, for one, have gained a lot from all the inspirational stories, the words of encouragement and the general atmosphere of good will that pervades this unusually bright corner of the internet.
We all know that it pays to stay positive. You have to look on the bright side, seek out the silver linings and put a brave face on adversity. We all know how being around a person with a sunny disposition makes us feel happier. Positivity spreads like seeds being carried on the wind.
So, it should be obvious that it is our job to eliminate all negativity from our lives! Right?
Perhaps. But, not so fast!
I would like to suggest that in creating our online businesses, we should be willing to embrace the dark side!
Before you go running for cover, please let me explain.
While our ultimate aim is to provide a positive, beneficial and rewarding experience for our visitors, it may be worthwhile to start with the NEGATIVES. We can start by seeing our visitors as people with a problem, a difficulty or a struggle. They may have been prompted by something as serious as a grave illness or as relatively trivial as a moment of boredom. Nevertheless, we will be better able to cater to their needs if we begin by understanding the problems that brought them to us in the first place.
Doing research and reflecting on the nature of the problem will help us to:
- Know what kind of articles will be most useful to addressing the reader's needs
- Provide articles that are appropriate and sensitive to the visitor
- More accurately assess the products and services that will help the visitor
By starting with a true appreciation of the negatives, we can build a resource that is genuinely useful, appropriate and beneficial. And that, I think, is what translates into a successful business.
I'd love to hear any thoughts and comments.
Oh, and have a very positive day! :)
Recent Comments
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In my personal coaching business, I use the GROW Model
G oal
R eality of your ability to achieve that goal
O bstacles in achieving that goal
W illingness to apply the options to overcome those obstacles
Many folks focus on the obstacles so much that they lose sight of their goal. They will go google "is such and such a scam" and sure enough will find a grip of folks who have not over come their obstacles telling them to avoid so and so company because of the obstacles that they couldn't overcome themselves.
The more challenging the obstacle is, the more rewarding the victory.
remember, you don't get paid overtime for calling in sick.
JD
I think those of us who have come through some serious negatives and found the positives are able to help others to do the same.
Good blog. I am often counseling people on their behaviors as result of their fears. We are all motivated to do or not to do something from fear. So i believe that difficulties are caused and are increased by fear. Work through the fear as you mentioned above and success will happen.
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Peter - Living as an optimist day in and day out ignoring the problems right in front of you is a fools way of life. In doing so, nothing gets assessed properly and resolved properly. Chances are this person is not a good listener, he does not even recognize the person standing in front of him is in serious emotional need because he chooses not to hear. He only smells the roses.
Embracing life's problems is something we must learn to do at a very early time in life. It is the children who suffer when raised with parents who immediately take care of any minor problem the child faces at school or with friends, etc instead of teaching the child how to handle the situation himself.
This is a most personal matter to me as I watch people on social media who appear to have such little depth in life write endless self-entered entries daily. I oftentimes ponder if they have ever had anything worse to worry about other than what I should fix for dessert?
I cannot imagine that life...
I also have an eternal quest for knowledge! I am not young, but have always wanted to make a career of learning! It becomes stronger as I age. I Have continued to take university classes off and on...
and now I am here!
A final note...having negativity gives you the power to face some of life's most difficult issues that may present during one's lifetime. One never knows if they will. I had several happen to me, and I knew I must face them and not pretend they did not exist. A positive attitude would not have been possible for me at the time. I slayed the dragon with strength and determination.
Thanks, Peter! By the way, as you can see your post inspired me...;)-
Rita
Wow Rita! Thank you so much for that. It's very obvious that you care a lot about depth of thought and expression which, as we can know, is all too rare. It's something I very much appreciate.
I especially agree with your point about parenting and the tendency of many modern parents to wrap their kids in cotton wool. In my current studies in psychotherapy, I've come across research showing that kids are developing mental health issues as a result of not being allowed out to play. It's crazy to think that children are being put on long term medication when the solution could be as simple as letting them climb trees and scratch their knees playing soccer.
Adversity can be tough, but it's also the thing that helps you to grow and become stronger.
Thanks again for the amazing comment. Made my day.
Thanks for appreciating my "rant"! My husband took his life three years ago this past Christmas and I pride myself on the comments I continue to receive from people on how strong of a woman I am! I have to hold back from belting out Helen Reddy's song "I am Woman, Hear Me Roar!", which is too dated (lol) so my brain will switch to Katy Perry's, "Roar"!, which I have belted out in the privacy of my car or shower...ha...make me REALLY feel a rush! ;)-
Seriously, it wasn't strength that carried me on after he died. Trust me. It took damn near three years to step off the roller coaster of guilt,remorse, and grief to realize that he made that choice himself. I had nothing to do with that. Now I just needed to choose a different road to hop on other than the one that my brain had previously mapped out in my head for the rest of our lives, a new road that I could traverse alone in a new direction. That's what saved me. Knowing that I AM STILL HERE. He did not take me with him. I am whole. Leave him behind and GO...I did and I am ok.
I told Psyche courses after he died. I love psychotherapy. It is a great field. Very rewarding.
I wish you much success both here at WA and in whatever direction you decide to take as well.
Whatever you do, just enjoy the ride...
Best regards, Peter!
Rita
I really appreciate you sharing that, Rita. I genuinely humbles me to read that because it's such a reminder about how much resilience there really is in all of us. Sometimes it seems next to impossible to bounce back from even relatively small dissapointments, but then I see those examples of people who have dealt with the toughest circumstances life can throw up and come through it with hope and the will to move forward.
Good luck and best regards to you too, Rita!