Tammy van Wisse, motivationalist and record breaking Australian long-distance swimmer, shares her strategies on how to keep an objective mindset when the going gets tough
A friend recently asked me “how are you always able to stay so positive?” The truth is I’ve had my fair share of negative thoughts and like everyone else, I’m a ‘work in progress’. Over the course of my swimming career I had to develop strategies for overiding the effects of negativity, which I still use to today in my professional and personal life.
Choosing to be positive doesn’t mean that you’re always happy or that you won’t have a bad day. We are all human, and that is normal. It means that you actively try not to let a bad moment ruin your day or bad days ruin your week.
It does take a lot of hard work, but it is a choice that you and I have control over daily. I really believe a positive attitude is one of the most important things you can work on for yourself.
Trust in yourself
Instead of letting your emotions overtake you, take a big breath and trust in your ability to get through any situation or problem. I can get through this is one of my favourite mantras.
Change your perspective
Is there a way to look at this differently? As humans, we all have a bias towards negativity. Our minds give more weight to things that go wrong than to things that go right, noticing the bad instead of the good. So much so that just one negative event can completely hijack our thoughts.
There are so many examples – a flat tyre on the way to work, someone cutting you off in traffic, receiving negative feedback, booking the wrong flight…
It’s important to take some time, balance that out and recognise the immense good in us and all around us. Switch the lens on your view. The more we can override this negativity effect, the more things will improve, leading to better decision-making and problem-solving.
I find that looking through a lens of gratitude, appreciating what I have and giving people the benefit of the doubt are also great tools that help me to keep things in perspective and stay in the positive zone.
Look for solutions
What’s the next simple step you can take? Inspire action by being solution-focused. Overthinking and dwelling on problems are something we all do, but when we do it too much, we shift into stress mode and create mental monsters in our heads, which only encourages procrastination.
Stay present; don’t let your mind drift to past mistakes or future challenges. Use the W.I.N. principle, “What’s Important Now” and bring your attention to the next step you need to take.
Remember, transforming your attitude is a journey. Only you hold the key to unlocking your potential – one choice, one moment at a time.”
Also see: Tammy van Wisse: Everybody has to understand the final goal | Executive PA Media
