Sometimes simply believing that you can succeed takes you halfway to success. There are a lot of things that you can do to improve your life, and improve your outlook on life – and many times those two approaches are connected. Self-improvement is a good way to raise your opinion of yourself, and it’s not long before that improvement will be noticed by others as well. Positive feedback leads to a more positive outlook, and encourages you to further growth and development. For an ever-growing collection of easy ways to get started on what can be a hard process for some people, go to Henrik Edberg’s website, www.PositivityBlog.com.
7S: You’ve been focused on all aspects of creating a better life for some time now, and it’s obvious that this focus has radically changed your own life. How much of the process was (or is) related to changes in attitude and thought, and how much was devoted to learning new skills or ways of doing things?
HE: Both played a big role. For me it started with for example taking a leap of faith and giving a more optimistic attitude a chance. I reinforced this attitude and saw that it did really helped me to do better in life by learning skills such as how to be more of a person of action. So they have worked together as I combined positive thinking with taking action on those new thoughts and through that I got better results.
7S: Here at 7 Speed Reading we emphasize the time factor frequently – in other words, the less time you spend getting through piles of documents, the more time you have to use that information, or do something else. However, even with help like that people don’t often have a lot of time on their hands. What are some quick ways that people can put the principles of positivity into effect in their lives?
HE: One simple and effective thing they can use in their everyday life is to ask themselves better and more helpful questions like:
– What is one thing that is positive or good about this situation?
– What can I learn from this situation?
– What is the opportunity within this situation?
These questions will let them tap into a more constructive and optimistic perspective in any area of life.
7S: Two of your four courses focus on simplicity, and on simplifying one’s life. Why does this make a difference?
HE: Simplifying life makes just about anything easier. You’ll have more free time. You’ll have less stress and worries. You’ll likely have more money left to spend on what you truly want (rather than stuff that may buy on impulse). Your relationships will feel lighter and be happier.
7S: “The power of positive thinking” is a phrase coined by Dr. Norman Peale in the mid-20th century, but it still has resonance in the 21st century. What is your opinion on this phrase and the idea behind it?
HE: I think that that there is a lot of power to positive thinking. More than many may see. Because when you are stuck in a negative attitude then it is difficult to imagine how much different life can be if you make this change in how you think. That was certainly the case for me 10 years ago. I couldn’t have imagined how much positive thinking would change my life.
7S: What’s the question that people ask you most frequently – and what’s your answer?
HE: Probably: “How do I stop procrastinating?”. Here’s what I usually answer:
The solution is to reduce the pressure and expectations as much as possible.
Because if you see a big task or project or just the daunting pile of dishes in front of you then that causes some kind of pain or resistance inside of you. So you shy away from doing it and go do something that feels better instead like playing video games or checking the email for the fifth time before lunch.
So here’s what I do:
I tell myself that I only have to work for 2 minutes on this task today. Then I can continue another day.
If that still doesn’t get me going I just ask myself for 1 minute of work. And I can do it that one minute of work in a very relaxed pace if I want.
When I only have to make such a minimal effort it doesn’t feel big or hard or uncomfortable anymore. It may not feel like fun either. Usually, it just is and I do that minute or two of work.
After that I almost never just quit. Instead, I often tell myself: “OK, those minutes weren’t so bad really”. And so I continue for half an hour or more. Or I may ignite a small spark of enthusiasm or kick-start a little bit of forward momentum. And so a whole lot of work usually gets done.
Make the start as easy and light as you can. Be kind to yourself in this way and you’ll be amazed at how much you can get started and done with that you have been procrastinating on for quite some time.
Thank you for the opportunity and I hope your readers will find the answers helpful!
My best wishes,
Henrik
