11 Strategic Steps for Developing a More Positive Outlook on Life and Business
Permit me to set the stage for this article with a fascinating true story…
The winters in Michigan can be frigid – and the winter of 1994 was no exception. As a result, Dale Chimenti, his wife, his two young children and his godson, Danny, decided to break away from the snow and ice of the upper Midwest, taking a much-needed vacation in the paradise-like climate of Cozumel, Mexico.
On their first full day in Mexico, which was a Friday, Dale and Danny decided to rent a couple of personal water scooters and go for a morning ride in the ocean. They got their scooters at about 10:30 a.m., but after getting out a mile and a half from shore, Dale’s machine stalled and died.
The two men decided that Danny should head back to shore for help, and Dale would remain on his inoperative scooter and work on his tan. After Danny reached shore and explained the situation to the attendants at the rental shop, they sent out a man on a water scooter to look for Dale. Unfortunately, a one-hour, cursory attempt to locate the stalled machine and passenger produced no results.
At this point, Dale’s wife, Lizabeth, contacted the local U.S. consulate, which agreed to send a telex to all ships in the area, alerting them to be on the lookout for her husband. This also proved unsuccessful.
As night approached, Dale decided to ditch the sinking scooter, because he wanted to be free to try to locate and swim to shore, which he now had lost sight of. He stayed afloat using the scooter’s buoyant seat cushion. He recalled thinking he wasn’t a strong swimmer, but his determination and optimism had always been second to none. The word “quit” was never part of his vocabulary.
On Saturday, the situation got more desperate for Dale. The lack of available drinking water began causing him to have delusions. He related that, at one point, he imagined he was sitting on the beach drinking orange juice. Clearly, he wasn’t.
What’s more, Dale was very much bothered by the eels and sea snakes that had begun to slither around him. In addition, the sharks had taken notice of his presence in the water and would actually swim by him from time to time, which Dale later described as being similar to “walking down the street and suddenly being confronted by a large dog that sniffs you and then walks away.” Fortunately for Dale, the sharks, for some reason, no interest in attacking him.
Back on land, Lizabeth had sent the kids home and chartered a small plane to scour the coastal waters – but to no avail.
Meanwhile, Dale’s delusions grew more vivid. He swam toward “condos” only to realize later that they were clouds. He was getting weaker and weaker physically, but not mentally. He had been floating in those shark-infested waters for nearly three days. However, his will to survive never waned.
Then, on that third day alone and adrift, he spotted a 328-foot German cargo ship, which in his delusional state he imagined to be a small pleasure craft. Nonetheless, he shouted for help. And, as luck would have it, one of the ship’s officers was on deck and actually heard Dale’s strained call for help. So, after three days at sea, Dale Chimenti was rescued and reunite with his family in Florida.
Interestingly enough, if the cargo ship strayed 10 degrees off course and been running two days behind schedule, its crew wouldn’t have seen Dale at all. For his part, Dale had managed to swim continuously for nearly three days from morning to nightfall, until he was finally sighted in the center of the Gulf of Mexico, about 200 miles from his hotel in Cozumel.
Dale’s story is an amazing and inspiring tale of courage, as well as of what choosing an optimistic approach to life is all about. After the incident, he appeared on a number of television shows and was featured in several national magazines for his over-the-top display of courage and positive thinking. Incidentally, Dale also wrote a book called, “Swept Away,” which details this adventure and is an exceptionally inspiring read.
Of course, the aforementioned story can certainly serve as a fitting metaphor for you, as you work toward overcoming your toughest laundry business obstacles by virtue of a positive, optimistic attitude – but at the same time never losing site of your goals in a realistic manner.
If you’re not an optimist by nature, I strongly believe you can choose to become one. Fundamentally, it all boils down to how you view your business life and the events that constantly occur in and around it. Again, that’s not to say you should ignore the realistic nature of your business in favor of taking a perpetually sunny view of every situation.
What I mean is that, once you accept the realism of an event or issue, you have a choice as to how to view and deal with it. With that said, here are 11 strategic steps to developing a more optimistic view of your life and business:
1. Read “Swept Away,” by Dale Chimenti.
Download and read every word of Dale’s book (available in an e-version) to put you in the proper positive mood.
2. Make it part of your game plan to “learn” optimism.
Many psychologists believe we can actually learn to be optimists. Cultural difference may come into play, as some studies suggest that Western cultures generally anticipate more positive events than Eastern cultures because Westerners focus more on self-enhancement and tend to view themselves more positively than other cultures.
3. Look for the good.
Even in tough situations, there is always a way to find something positive – a silver lining. At times, it can be difficult to see, so look closely and eventually you’ll spot it. The key is to look for it, because pessimists will never bother trying.
4. Jot down positive thoughts and experiences.
At the end of each day, write down all of the good things that happened at your laundromat. Developing this habit will make it much easier to appreciate the positive aspects of your business life.
5. Speak with a successful sounding style.
Often, it’s not a specific negative event that produces an optimistic or pessimistic outlook, it’s how you talk about the event or issue to yourself or others. For example, you could say, “My new attendant behaved improperly today. What a total disaster that hire was!” Or, you could say, “My new attendant behaved improperly today. However, she’s still learning, and I’m sure I can teach her some much more appropriate methods for the future.”
6. Stop comparing yourself to others.
You may have acquaintances in the laundry business who you believe are more successful or have fewer problems than you. However, it’s most likely that they have the same issues you do – and perhaps even more – but they choose not to discuss them in a pessimistic manner or at all. Instead, appreciate the positive aspects of your business and remind yourself what you are grateful for.
7. Take control of your situation.
Research has shown that business owners feel more optimistic about situations they can control. So, the next time a problem arises wrap your arms around it and embrace it. Scar tissue is tougher than regular tissue, so you will be a stronger person if you do so. Don’t let a complaining customer ruin your day.
8. Smile.
I recall a study in which two groups of participants were shown cartoons – one group was asked to hold pens in their mouths (thus, forcing them to use their “smiling muscles”), while the second group was not. The result was that the group with the pens in their mouths perceived the cartoons to be funnier than the group not flexing its “smiling muscles.” Make a habit of smiling at customers and attendants. It will improve your outlook.
9. View life as a balancing act.
The playing field is not always level, and business life isn’t good all of the time. For example, the weather occasionally will remain inclement for a number of days in a row, which will reduce your customer count. Don’t despair if at times like this it’s difficult to remain optimistic. Remember that there is a realistic aspect to consider when looking at negative events as well.
In this regard, the phrase “This Too Shall Pass” is good to keep in mind. Optimists tend to make the most of adversity and make the most of the present time. They don’t dwell in the past, but simply learn from it and move on. They realize the past is “old and cold.”
10. Never forget the mutual exclusivity of business events.
In business, as in many other aspects of our lives, one thing has nothing to do with another, and we should not generalize in this regard. Pessimists tend to do this, while optimists don’t.
For example, just because that new attendant you hired and thought was so outstanding turned out otherwise doesn’t mean the next person you decide to employ will be the same. Or, just because your last marketing program didn’t produce the intended results doesn’t mean the next one won’t be a homerun. These are mutually exclusive events. I think you get my drift.
And, speaking of “drifts,” if Dale Chimenti had pessimistically given up under the extreme situation in which he found himself, the results would have been tragic. Dale is a living example of how having a positive attitude – no matter what the circumstances – is always the best game plan.
11. Try to anticipate the best possible outcome in any situation.
For instance, you may have several machines needing repair all at one time. Choose to take the view that the rest of your equipment is working perfectly and that you have a quality repair person who can quickly correct those maintenance issues. The optimist views the situation as the result of doing a lot of business. Incidentally, psychologists are inclined to think optimists tend to be physically and mentally healthier, because they cope better when faced with negative events. It’s the old “glass is half full” scenario.
By the way, have you ever met a happy and successful pessimist?
