Shouting at your reflection in the mirror, telling yourself you’ve got this and need to stop being a baby, isn’t going to help you take stress in your stride. No, really. You might know someone who deals with stress and doesn’t let the pressure get in their way and wonder how they manage to do it. Well, here are their secrets. Read on for 10 psychological traits of people who thrive under pressure. No one is born with the ability, FYI — you can learn these valuable skills.
1. They give themselves plenty of pep talks.
People who thrive when the stakes are high know how to be their own best friends. They’ll give themselves pep talks when negativity swirls around them, such as by reminding themselves that they’re strong/smart/creative and can get through anything. Getting into a positive mindset is what’s required to turn that stress around, and speaking to oneself with kindness is more powerful than telling oneself to “suck it up” or “tough it out.”
2. They focus on the bigger picture.
Sometimes, you’ve got to step back and focus on the bigger picture so you don’t get bogged down in your current stressful situation. Although deets are important, you don’t want to get stuck in them because they can derail you. This is what people who know how to thrive do to remain positive – they keep their eyes on the prize ahead of them! This also ensures they stay motivated to succeed. Nicely done.
3. They recognize there’s enough success to go around.
Linked to optimism is the idea that success is in abundance and there’s enough of it for everyone. This is much more fruitful than thinking there’s not enough happiness or success for you, which can cause you to become stressed. It can also cause you to compare yourself to others, thinking they’ll have success that’s meant for you. People who thrive know they can achieve what they want and there’s enough happiness for everyone. This chills them out so stress doesn’t keep them from what they want. Don’t stand in your own way!
4. They love embracing challenges.
Challenge presented? Let’s go! Success is all about your mindset, right? If you’re going to allow obstacles to get in your way and derail you, you’ll always get stuck and demotivated. But, if you see those obstacles as challenges to work around, you can overcome them. How you reframe situations in your mind is what makes a difference between getting what you want and getting disappointed – success starts in your head!
5. They know it’s important to be patient.
Real talk: it’s not always easy to be patient when you’re chasing deadlines or trying to get what you want. You could be met with delays and disappointments, which can send your blood pressure through the roof. Woah, calm down. People who thrive know that patience is required during these difficult situations. By staying calm with a clear head, they’re more capable of finding solutions to problems and using their time smartly, instead of spiraling into stress.
6. They don’t hesitate to ask for help.
No one can do everything alone all the time. It takes a team sometimes, people! Successful people who know how to thrive instead of just survive have a support system that’s ready to help them when required. This could take the form of a no-nonsense BFF who reminds them why they’re awesome at delegating tasks in the workplace. It’s about nurturing good relationships and having positive resources available.
7. They’re open to change when the status quo isn’t working.
Although stability and consistency is key, sometimes you’ve got to change how you operate to get things done. This can involve changing plans at the last minute if they’re simply not working for you, even if it pains you to do so because you worked hard on them. Look, it’s about being flexible – that’s the key to success because life will throw you curveballs and you’ve got to be able to roll with the punches and tweak your plans so you achieve your goals.
8. They refuse to play the victim.
When things go bad, which will happen at some point to everyone, people who know how to thrive won’t let that turn them into a victim. They’re not going to share sob stories about how the world’s out to get them, things never work out for them, or no one likes them. Nah-uh. They accept that crap happens, and this opens them up to finding ways to overcome it. They’re all about that healthy, positive mindset!
9. They ban the word “should.”
Have you ever thought about how you should’ve done something to create the life you want, or how you should nail your work presentation but you’re not sure? Enough with the shoulda, coulda, wouldas! People with a thriving mindset ban this word from their vocabulary because it’s so restrictive and uncertain. It builds expectations and stress, and could lead to regret, which is the highway to negative thinking.
10. They’re big on finding balance.
Although sometimes you can’t help but pull an all-nighter to achieve a goal or meet a deadline, people who thrive know that this is a no-no on the regular. Instead, they maintain a healthy life balance. They know this translates into a happier, more confident state of being which helps them succeed. So, they go to the gym, they take vacations, and they spend time with friends, without being 100 percent focused on work all the time.
