To Keep Yourself In Check, Think Realistic
Some of us are familiar with the dangers of toxic optimism. I can’t recall a period in my life where I was in that particular case, however it certainly is possible.
When you are so positive and certain about yourself that that positivity and certainty actually backfires on you.
I don’t doubt that it could happen to people in certain situations, however how I’ve kept myself in check is primarily in how I think.
Like I said in my previous post, the solution to being patient and maintaining our enthusiasm and positivity is to keep trying different things.
This answer stems from me thinking realistically at the situation before us.
It’s Called Realistic Optimism
It’s called realistic optimistic thinking. This type of thinking is taking the overly positive and progressive thinking that others are adopting in their life, but also putting a barrier on it.
This barrier is erected from thinking realistically.
Although this barrier does put a limit on our thinking, the important thing to think about is where exactly it’s placing that limitation.
It’s between the grounds of sound logic and insanity.
Going back to my example before of being patient, trying different things, yet still pursuing your main goal is realistic thinking. Where it becomes absurd or insane is if I proposed that we continue to do the same thing and refuse to learn from our past mistakes or failures.
It doesn’t make sense because it undermines some of the fundamental rules of growing.
In order to find growth you try one thing and if it doesn’t work, you make changes.
Keep It Real
Now all of this sounds pretty simple. It’s but a simple mindset to adapt and ensure that we don’t go overboard with our thinking right?
I would like to say yes, however it isn’t as simple as that.
After all one of the biggest hurdles is actually accepting that side of thinking of you.
Not to say that the realistic thinker is a downer or deserves a lot of hate, but in fact we have to accept a few harsh truths.
For example, as a writer my main goal and source of pride is the fact people are reading my work. But what I want more than that is for people to use my work to apply this thinking in their own lives.
I’m positive that some day that may happen, or it might even be happening now on a small scale. That being said I also have to accept the fact that a lot of people will simply consume and never apply my work.
This goes the same with videos and perhaps speeches.
But I’m not alone in this.
Every person who provides content like this has this sort of scenario where part of their readership will simply consume and never apply.
It’s harsh because it makes sense for our motivators to be closely tied to helping others in some way shape or form.
For me, it’s gotten easier to accept that, but others can be so self conscious about this fact. They may use it to beat themselves up or discourage themselves.
But it’s not something to lose face over.
It’s something to grow from and the first step is accepting that.
Accept Your Thinking
You may not like that part of you, but it is part of you. If you don’t like it, make some changes. Because I have personally accepted my reality and still keep my perception of it open I can further enrich my life in new ways.
This is how I keep myself in check, by looking at things positively but also at face value.
To your growth!
Eric S Burdon
This post is part of an 3 month writing challenge that I’m committing myself to. Every day for 3 months, I’ll be writing articles with specific criteria in mind. You can learn all about my reasoning as well as what that criteria is right here. This is 86 of 91 of this series.
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