One of my passions is connecting with leadership coaches who focus on positivity and the challenge of learning from every situation. We were thrilled when one of my favorite motivational speakers, Shiv Khera, agreed to join us for an exclusive webinar on how to Turn Setbacks into Comebacks.
If you missed the webinar, you can watch and listen to the full presentation here—and I highly recommend that. There is simply too much incredible advice to share in one blog. But I did capture several key takeaways to share with you.
1. Master Your Mindset
It is so easy during a situation such as the current pandemic to see only the negative. Becoming overwhelmed by the change to the patterns of our lives, the risk of financial strain, the threat to your health and that of your family—just to name a few elements—happens in a blink of any eye. For some people, that stress can be fueled into success; for others it is nearly paralyzing. Mr. Shiv Khera reminds us that while making decisions today could mean life or death, don’t give the situation too much power. His advice: Don’t overrate the crisis and the stress, and don’t underrate our strength to fight and win.
2. Be Solution-Focused
One key step to keeping your balance in times of uncertainty is to remain solution-focused. It can be so easy to see only the negative, the challenges, the problems—don’t fall into that trap! For example, history shows us that when unemployment rises, self-employment goes up as well. What does that mean? During a crisis, when pushed into a corner, some people look for the solution while others wring their hands and look for pity. Crisis breeds entrepreneurs; for example, many businesses born of desperation during the Great Depression are household names today—Publix Supermarket, Gallo Wines, and Simplot Food Group. Mr. Khera stresses—these weren’t highly educated, wealthy business owners. Rather they were regular people who chose to focus on solving their problems during an unprecedented crisis.
3. Convert TV Time to Productive Time
Long before COVID led millions of people to lounge on the couch and binge-watch Netflix, surveys revealed Americans typically watch 3-4 hours of TV a day. How much is that costing you? Think about that time as lost salary—and productivity.
That doesn’t mean we all don’t need to relax, and TV is exceptional for that. But think about what else you could be doing with that time.
When millionaires are asked how they have succeeded—nearly every one of them shares a commitment to reading and learning. So imagine the impact of taking your TV time and turning it into reading time. There is a clear connection between learning and earning, and with the time we’re saving by not commuting or going out on weekends and evenings, this is a prime opportunity to start that habit.
4. Build Positive Relationships
We have all used the excuse of no time. We often spend our time racing around—work, errands, children’s activities, work travel, and more. And what happens is that for the most important people—we have no time. This crisis provides an opportunity to reassess your priorities. Instead of racing in all directions, consider taking some time to understand the right direction and start investing in movement towards that goal. It’s quite possible that you’ll find that direction may be your family. If you aren’t convinced you want to spend all that wasted TV time reading, use it to strengthen your relationships. Or mend them if you need to. Relationships are powerful and they are worth investing in. Take time now to reconnect with good people—pick up the phone and say hello. This isn’t the time to ask for business, but rather to invest in that relationship.
5. Be a Good Person
What does that mean? A person is good when they do good. As a good human being, you need to know what you stand for. Conversely, you also need to know what you stand against. A good human is not neutral on values. Mr. Khera is passionate about standing your ground for and against. This is no time to have compassion for the enemies of humanity—those who live among us but do not respect our fellow humans. We have seen too many during this pandemic. Understand what you will stand for and against, and take action to support those stances.
6. Accept Yourself & Your Imperfections
Self-esteem is the way we feel about ourselves. When we feel good about ourselves, we rise in the morning and see the positives. We use our high esteem—our acceptance of ourselves and our imperfections—to pull others up. Look for those who may be struggling, and help build them up. There is simply no room today for those who lead with ego; who find their happiness berating others.
7. Give Back in Life
While one huge piece of advice from Mr. Shiv Khera was limiting exposure to the news—which can be overwhelmingly negative—there are and continue to be inspiring acts of kindness. From people singing on rooftops in Italy to the nightly clapping for healthcare heroes in NYC. It’s the true colors of people that shine through in a crisis.
Focus your energy and mindset on being a caring, daring, and sharing person. As a community, we must take care of each other—and for some people, that means sharing a meal or making a donation. Large or small, sharing and giving from the heart has a tremendous impact. As you know, our mantra is “Sharing is Caring,” so it’s clear how strongly we believe in is. This time of crisis is a reminder not to measure your self-worth by net worth. Instead, dig into your heart and consider how you can help your community—at whatever level you can.
As I said, Mr. Shiv Khera shared more than we can possibly share in one blog, but I hope even this sampling inspires you. And maybe you can turn some of that TV time into watching the entire webinar. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
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