Those of us who are Enneagram Eights tend to be negative and angry, but we also tend to get big things done—for better or worse. A short list of Eights you might recognize includes Martin Luther King, Jr., Winston Churchill, Fidel Castro, and Saddam Hussein. Part of your personality is nature, and part is nurture. However, humans are malleable, allowing us to transcend both nature and nurture—if we put in the work.
Often, it takes a negative event for someone to make a meaningful and lasting change. Occasionally, you’ll find a person who made a significant change because they were inspired, but these transformations seem rare.
Sigmund Freud believed our traumas could limit what a person could achieve. One of Freud’s contemporaries, Alfred Adler, believed that while trauma is awful when you’re experiencing it, it need not have power over your future.
I confronted this idea in a neurologist’s office after undergoing two brain surgeries. My neurologist asked me to complete a form for disability. The first box read “permanent disability,” and the second read “temporary disability.” I asked my doctor if I was somehow disabled, and he responded, “You are if you believe you are.” I checked “temporary disability” so I could pay my bills.
You and I have a lot in common. We have a little over 4,000 weeks on planet Earth, and we also share a bias toward negativity. Scientists believe this adaptation has allowed humans to survive. But we should want more from life than mere survival. We should aim to flourish. Recently, I’ve been contemplating the idea that maximizing the value of life requires us to be positive, optimistic, and future-oriented—despite being surrounded by negativity.
Your Mindset Is a Choice You Make
You can be negative most of the time, but residing there isn’t wise. Negativity comes with a cost that may be greater than you realize.
- Negativity can create stress. If you are chronically negative, you may experience elevated stress hormone levels.
- Prolonged negativity can lead to mood disorders, including depression.
- Negativity can impair your problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
- The stress resulting from negativity can have detrimental health outcomes, such as a weakened immune system, heart disease, and diabetes. Some studies even suggest a shorter lifespan.
- Negativity can create problems in your relationships, both at home and at work, leading to social isolation.
- At work, negativity can cause you to lose focus and efficiency. If you want to be promoted, a negative attitude could hinder your progress.
- Your negativity can create a toxic environment.
Overcoming the human tendency toward negativity takes more than positive thinking. If that were sufficient, we’d have far fewer negative people. You need a set of practical strategies that will allow you to be less negative and more positive most of the time. If you asked what you should do first, I’d advise you to start by eliminating sources of negativity.
For instance, in a recent LinkedIn post, several people mentioned they had given up the news—a commendable first step.
Those who consume negativity in frequent, large doses will invariably find reasons to be negative. At its core, negativity is fear. Fear either paralyzes people or spurs them into action.
You might know people who are often afraid. I have several such people in my life who can find fault with anything and everything, even genuinely positive things. Usually, fear underlies their negativity.
You Could Use Some Improvement
You’re perfect the way you are, but you could benefit from some improvement. There’s no better place to start than with your mindset. Focusing your time and attention on eliminating negativity and replacing it with positivity will improve your work, relationships, and overall well-being.
However, understand that it’s not wrong to be in a negative state when the situation warrants it. Your mood will vary for a host of reasons, including biological, psychological, and sociological factors.
If I reduced my negativity and improved my mindset, I am certain you can do the same. Even though I created the Negativity Fast for me, I wrote the book for you.
Thank you to those who have already pre-ordered a copy or copies of The Negativity Fast. It's important to stack up pre-orders the month before the book is released. I have built several bonus packages from one copy or larger packages for organizations. If you haven’t bought a copy, it would help to send orders to Barnes & Noble.
Here is the link to the preorder page: https://www.thesalesblog.com/the-negativity-fast.
