Sharpen your skills and shape attitudes to achieve high levels of success personally and professionally
__The Optimism Advantage__ offers tangible, proven techniques for turning life's obstacles into opportunities with confidence and competence. Today's economy offers plenty of reasons to feel powerless and frustrated. But why would you, when it offers just as many reasons to be optimistic, resourceful, and persistent? After all, adversity is everywhere...but it's how you handle adversity that makes the difference in your personal and professional life.
Each chapter provides new ways to sharpen your own skills and help others to face ever-present organizational and personal challenges with the kind of positive attitude that leads to resilience and results.
* Presents important truths for maintaining your sanity and effectiveness during times of economic or organizational turmoil
* Shows you how to turn yourself into a valuable, recyclable asset, rather than a disposable "employee"
* Author Terry Paulson is a preeminent expert on the human side of optimism and a powerful, renowned professional speaker
__The Optimism Advantage__ offers much needed relief, hope, and practical tools for everyone who feels trapped and powerless in the face of current economic conditions.

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Paulson Ph.D., Terry L.

by Terry L. Paulson

Spectrum Publications

Halsted Press

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (trade), Hoboken, N.J., 2010

United States, United States of America

Hoboken, N.J, New Jersey, 2010

Hoboken, N.J, c2010

0

lg1116289

producers:
Acrobat Distiller 8.1.0 (Windows)

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Includes bibliographical references and index.

The Optimism Advantage: 50 Simple Truths to Transform Your Attitudes and Actions into Results 1
Contents 11
Acknowledgments 13
Chapter 1: Trade Being Your Own Worst Enemy to Become Your Own Best Supporter 15
Truth #1: Life Is Difficult 16
Life Is a Self-Help Project, but You’re Not Working on It Alone 17
Optimists Everywhere Claim Their Version of the American Dream 18
Choose Learned Optimism over Learned Helplessness 20
The Study of Optimism and a New Emphasis on Positive Psychology 21
Star in Your Own Positive Soap Opera 22
Truth #2: Control What You Can, and Accept and Use What You Can’t 23
Optimism Is Important on and off the Job 24
Faith and Faith Communities Can Impact Your Optimism 24
Don’t Just Read This Book—Devour It 25
Chapter 2: Deal with the Hand You’re Dealt 28
Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? 29
Find Perspective and Get on with Life 30
Disappointment Can Launch New Dreams 30
Truth #3: Face the Brutal Reality but Never Lose Faith 31
Beware of the Status Quo 33
Your Wonderful Life Is Also Filled with Happy Accidents 35
Truth #4: This Too Shall Pass 36
Overall . . . It’s a Pretty Good Life 37
Chapter 3: Your Choice: Victim or Resilient Survivor 39
Truth #5: Be a Resilient Survivor No Matter What You Face 40
Truth #6: Don’t Just Watch Negative News; Get Busy Making Your Own 41
Simpler Times Made for a Powerful People 43
Optimists Still Make a Difference Today 43
Stop Blaming and Start Helping 44
The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks Unleashed the Resilient Spirit of a Country 45
Truth #7: Be Patient Active and Risk Thriving in Pursuit of Health 47
Truth #8: No Dream Will Work Unless You Do 49
Truth #9: Unleash the Power of Optimistic Stories and Positive Gossip 50
Don’t Just Survive . . . Thrive 52
Chapter 4: The Optimistic Power of Purpose 53
Purpose and Optimism Come from a Heart of Service 54
Truth #10: Live a Mission That Taps Your Purpose, and Work Ceases to Be Work 55
Truth #11: Risk Becoming the Architect of Your Own Future 57
Identifying and Using Your Purpose in Support of a Meaningful Mission 60
Significant Life Events Shape Our Sense of Purpose 61
Faith Is a Powerful Source of Purpose and Meaning 62
Secular Service Also Provides Meaning for Many 64
A Sense of Purpose Promotes a Hardy Lifestyle and Meaning 65
Chapter 5: Optimists Update Their Gifts into Recyclable Assets 66
Truth #12: Be a Lifelong Learner by Updating Your Gifts into Recyclable Assets 67
Ride Trends in the Direction They Are Going 68
Use Training as a Strategic Advantage 70
Truth #13: Always Have a Plan B—A ‘‘What I Could Do Next’’ Plan 71
You’re Going to Be Forty-five Anyway 72
When Attitude, Skills, and Opportunity Come Together, Mastery and Magic Happen 74
Finding a Career That Matches Your Dream 75
Beat Your Impostor Feelings on the Road to Lifelong Learning 76
Truth #14: You Become an Old Dog When You Stop Doing New Tricks 77
Chapter 6: Your Health Habits Impact Your Attitude 79
Eat Less and Exercise More 79
Optimists Want a Body Ready for Action 80
The Exercise Attitude Connection 82
Truth #15: Eat Smart—Make Progress Not Perfection 83
Truth #16: The Only Good Exercise Plan Is One You Do Consistently 84
Take Care of Your Body—It Will Help Take Care of You 86
Chapter 7: Optimists Embrace Action 87
Truth #17: Get out of the Rearview Mirror and Move into the Choices out Your Front Window 88
Truth #18: You Miss 100 Percent of the Shots You Never Take 89
Truth #19: Life Works Best with the Three P’s of Optimism—Position, Perform, and Persist 91
Truth #20: Act Fast with Focus and Flexibility to Make Change Work 92
Ready, Fire, Aim—Feisty Prototypers Win the Day 93
Now Is the Time for Action—Not Perfection 95
Chapter 8: Optimists Dispute Catastrophic Thoughts 97
The Heart of the Optimism Technique 98
Truth #21: Master the ABCs of Optimistic Self-Talk—Adversity, Beliefs, and Consequences 99
The Gift of Distraction and Taking Distance 101
Truth #22: Win the Argument with Your Negative Beliefs to Change Your Attitude and Your Actions 102
Evidence—Only the Facts! 102
Alternatives—Seek Less Self-Destructive Explanations 105
Implications—Realistic Likely Consequences 106
Usefulness—Will Worry Work? 108
Faith—Search for God’s Open Door 109
Reframe Your Beliefs to Help You Overcome Adversity 110
Truth #23: Experience Is What You Do with What Happens to You 111
Look for the Gifts in Your Adversity 114
Chapter 9: Optimists Give Thanks for Gratitude 116
Avoid Pits People and the Complain Game 118
Truth #24: Turn Happy Accidents into Tomorrow’s Innovations 120
Truth #25: Hope for More, but Never Be Thrown by Less 121
Live Simply and Focus on What You Have 122
Truth #26: Rejoice in the Gift of Every Day 123
Truth #27: Be Grateful for the People Who Make the Ride Worthwhile 125
Handling What Comes Your Way and Making Things Go Your Way 127
Chapter 10: Optimists Provide Constructive Self-Criticism 128
Truth #28: The More Mistakes You Make, the Quicker You Learn 129
Your Worst Critic May Be Sitting in Your Seat 131
Majoring in Self-Criticism Leaves You Needing the Support of Others 132
Truth #29: Love Yourself as You Do Your Loved Ones, Neighbors, and Colleagues 134
Truth #30: When Self-Critical, Avoid General Labels and Focus on Specific Feedback 135
Truth #31: Claim Optimism by Making Your Future Work 136
Make It Safe to Surface Problems Quickly by Doing It Yourself First 139
Don’t Just Admit Your Mistakes—Learn from Them 140
Mistakes Are Tough but Essential Teachers 141
Chapter 11: Managing Your Own Motivation Means Catching Yourself Being Effective 143
Needing the Support of Others Leaves You Dependent Instead of Confident 144
Truth #32: When You Cannot Get a Compliment Any Other Way, Give Yourself One 145
What’s Working for You? 146
Self-Confidence Is Not Self-Delusion 148
Humility Is Strength with Gentleness 149
Truth #33: Lead in a Way That Instills Confidence in Others 150
Care about How You View Yourself 151
Chapter 12: Simple Pleasures: The Optimist’s Wild Card 153
Truth #34: Engage in Simple Pleasures That Impact Your Attitude 154
Simple Pleasures Are Simple and Often Inexpensive 155
Simple Pleasures Often Find You 156
Taking Nature for a Ride on the Wild Side 157
Needlepoint and Other Therapeutic Pleasures 158
Truth #35: Find the Music That Makes Your Soul and Attitude Sing 160
Truth #36: Turn the Love of a Pet into a Health Break and Attitude Boost 160
Truth #37: Reading Opens You to New Worlds and Provides a Mental Recess 162
You Don’t Remember Days—You Remember Moments 163
The Power of a List of Memories 164
Chapter 13: Humor Is the Joker in the Hand of Life 166
Truth #38: Use Humor as an Ever-Present Stress Breaker You Control 167
Not All Humor Works to Produce Optimism 170
Truth #39: Take Your Life and Work Seriously, but Take Yourself Lightly 171
Teams Work Better with Humor as a Social Lubricant and Attitude Adjuster 172
Truth #40: Cultivate Humorous One-Liners That Invite Laughter into Your Life 174
Developing Your Sense of Humor Takes Work 175
Truth #41: Stretch Your Humor Muscles Daily 176
Keep Your Optimism Laced with Laughter 177
Chapter 14: Build an Optimistic Network that Works 178
Truth #42: Thank the People Who Have Helped and Encouraged You 179
Truth #43: Put Your Calendar Where Your Priorities Are 180
Good Relationships Promote Health, Happiness, and Optimism 182
Truth #44: Avoid Pits People and Worrywarts! 183
Truth #45: Fill Your Village with People Who Make a Difference 184
There’s More to Connection Than Cyberspace 185
Coming to Grips with Your Own Relationship Deficits 186
Networking with Integrity Makes Relationships Work 188
Truth #46: Renew and Revitalize Your Most Valued Relationships 190
Use Relationships as an Optimism Advantage 192
Chapter 15: How to Become Optimistic in Life . . . By Really Trying 193
You Want More Than Insights—You Want Changes That Last 195
Truth #47: Making Changes That Last Is All about Focusing Your Goals 196
Use Your Calendar to Support Change 197
Move from Focus to Stepped Progress 198
Involve Your Buddies, Bosses, and Cheerleaders 200
Truth #48: Use the Rehearsal Studio of Your Mind to Support Positive Change 201
Bounce Back Quickly from Lapses with Resolve and Determination 202
Truth #49: Nurture New Learning in Support of Your Change Goals 203
Try a Dose of Inspiring Stories of Courage and Change 206
Don’t Forget to Reward and Celebrate Your Own Progress 207
Truth #50: Never Give Up on Becoming the Optimistic Person You Want to Be 209
Make Every Day Count to Become the Best You Can Be 210
Resources 213
Index 216
About the Author 225
0470554754,9780470554753

<p><b>Acquire Optimism and Change Your Life On and Off the Job</b></p>
<p>Wouldn't you rather be an optimist than a pessimist? In the good and the tough times, this book provides you with a road map to an optimistic outlook that works. Learn how to turn your anxiety and worries into attitudes and actions that produce results. You'll refer to this book over and over again to master the simple but powerful truths optimists live by.</p>
<p><b>Discover how easy it is to:</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Stop being your own worst enemy and become your best supporter</li>
<li>Manage your own motivation instead of being dependent on others</li>
<li>Experience more peaks and fewer valleys</li>
<li>Make today count by turning adversity into opportunities</li>
<li>Become a problem solver instead of a problem evader</li>
<li>Foster optimism in those you lead and live with</li>
<li>Take your life choices seriously and yourself lightly</li>
</ul>
<p>"<i>Masterful! The Optimism Advantage</i> supports the thesis that we control our attitude and our actions. Live every chapter of this book, and you're more likely to have a great life of happiness and achievement!"<br>
—Don Hutson, coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller, The One Minute Entrepreneur, and CEO, U.S. Learning Inc.</p>
<p>"This is a must-read for any leader committed to producing results in both good and bad times." —Gordon Peters, CEO and Founding Chairman, Institute for Management Studies</p>
<p>"Terry Paulson goes beyond hyperbole and hype to address the principles and practices of optimism." —Mark Sanborn, leadership expert and author of The Fred Factor and The Encore Effect</p>
<p>"<i>The Optimism Advantage</i> collects Dr. Paulson's wisdom and insights into a resource that belongs in every library. Don't just read it once; read it until it sinks into how you live and lead! This book is a true keeper!"<br>
—Terry L. Bream, RN, MN, Ambulatory Clinical Practice Administrator, Kaiser Permanente</p>
<p>"While others may be swept into fear, frustration, and uncertainty, this breakthrough book gives you practical tools to leverage the Optimism Advantage. BUY this book; a more rewarding and significant life awaits."<br>
—Dr. Joseph Michelli, CEO, The Michelli Experience, and author of The Starbucks Experience and The New Gold Standard</p>
<p>Dr. Terry Paulson is a psychologist, a hall-of-fame speaker, and a leading authority on turning positive psychology research into practical insights and commonsense truths that are easy to learn and sure to produce real-world results.</p>
<p><b>Claim your Optimism Advantage! It's practical. It works! What are you waiting for?</b></p>

2013-12-22