The key to coping with the recession is to focus on what you can control and on desired rather than current results.
That’s the opinion of Deirdre Keane, head of Motiv8 corporate training, who will offer advice with her colleague Justin McNulty, at a motivational event, entitled “Express Success” to be held at Brown Thomas’ menswear department tomorrow (Friday ) from 6.30pm. BT menswear experts will be available on the evening to give top tips on dressing for success.
She urges people to use their current results as important feedback about what needs to be improved and changed.
“When people really engage themselves to be the best they can be every day they genuinely do start to have a different experience. You discover your biggest opponent is most often you and by you being different your life changes regardless of external factors remaining the same.”
She urges people to avoid the blame game. “There is no personal benefit in blaming the world for why you don’t do the things you really need to be doing in order to enjoy a better quality of life.
“Indeed, one of the best ways of coping with the recession is to invest in your health and wellbeing. The old saying “mens sano incorporo sano” stands true - a healthy mind is a healthy body. Find daily ways of improving your nutrition and increasing your exercise. Do things regularly that make you feel good, that may be a walk by the sea, a browse through your favourite store or making the time to prepare and eat a tasty and nutritious meal.”
It is important to keep things in perspective, she says. “If one part of your life is in bad shape it does not have to mean that every part of your life suffers. Be conscious and make the effort to keep things in perspective and be grateful for whatever is working well. This is the way to finding the energy and the inspiration that will be required to turn around the stresses into successes.
“Do whatever you can do to improve yourself and to keep yourself motivated. This may include talking with people who can teach you something and inspire you, reading or listening to audio books, attending seminars, exercising frequently, getting a performance coach, spending time with positive peers, building your disciplines and habits required for success and fulfillment.”
The secrets of success in life or business lie in what we do most often, according to Ms Keane. “If you are serious about success you must accept 100 per cent responsibility for the results that are showing up in your life or in your business. This is the only way you will feel in control to make the changes that may be required to create different and desirable results.”
All results stem from our focus, she explains. “Focus is simply where our attention is being spent. Your results are an indication of your focus. So, if you are focused on your problems you can be certain that you will have lots of them. However, if you are focused on solutions you can be certain that you will be busy finding solutions. Focus is at the core of the quality of our lives and of our businesses, all results stem from your focus. This is turn leads to more success. You can choose your focus - it just requires discipline and practice.”
How can people improve their motivation levels? The basis of all motivation is our association with pain and pleasure, she explains. “Research has proven that people will do more to avoid pain than we will do to create pleasure. Therefore, in order to motivate yourself to start doing things that you need to do to achieve better results start associating pain with your current behaviours and simultaneously start associating pleasure with new behaviours.”
People can develop a more positive attitude by being grateful for all that is good in their life. “It may be your health, your family, your friends, your one good client or your memories. Regardless of the ratio of good versus difficult in your life start by identifying the good and this will be your foundation stone for building more positives.
“What we think about is reflected in our daily conversations. Our conversations are a medium of self expression, rapport building and developing trust and relationships. Therefore, you need to tune into your internal and external conversations. Then you need to ensure that these conversations are congruent with your dreams, ambitions and intentions.”
The motivational workshop will offer insider tips on the qualities needed to achieve success including the power of focus, leadership, how to cope in a crisis, maintaining a positive attitude and thriving through change.
