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As business leaders, we might sometimes find ourselves in a loop of negativity. That’s understandable, given the challenges of running a business.
Our negative thinking might lead us to think that we’re worse off in the present than we ever were in the past. In fact, there’s a term for that: “declinism.” According to an article in Psychology Today, declinism is a “pessimistic thinking bias, which leads people to believe that things are constantly getting worse over time. The bias reflects an overly negative view of the current situation, and it usually goes hand in hand with tendencies to romanticize the past.”
If we view the past with rose-tinted glasses and treat the present and future with pessimism, we risk missing valuable opportunities. Moreover, I believe that approaching business through the lens of declinism is counterproductive and can lead to a lack of self-accountability that stifles growth. By romanticizing the past and demonizing the present and future, we could end up diminishing our agency and power to step up and change things. While I’m not a mental health professional, my experience in the business world has taught me the importance of battling declinism and taking agency to build a better future. Here are some strategies that have helped me overcome declinism and see the present and future in a more positive light.
1. Reflect on Where You Are Today and Where You Were in the Past
If you find yourself romanticizing the past and lamenting your current and future circumstances, you should take a step back and reflect. I’ve found that asking yourself if you’re really worse off now than in the past can be a helpful way to put things in perspective. For instance, you might believe that because of your business, you’re less happy than you were a decade ago. But if you think about what your life looked like a decade ago, you might remember that, say, you were juggling two jobs and barely making ends meet. Of course, your current challenges are valid. Brushing them off is not and should not be the goal. But approaching them in a more balanced way is important.
As you reflect, you should also think about which factors have led to the present situation you’re in and which are out of your control. For instance, if you’re unhappy running your business, part of that unhappiness could stem from economic conditions that you can’t change. But part of that unhappiness might be rooted in your hesitation to delegate tasks to your team members.
2. Examine Your Behaviors
During your time reflecting, I recommend making a list of your behaviors and jotting down how those behaviors have impacted you and other people. Strive to get the thoughts of your team members and others in your circle, such as your mentors and friends, as well.
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Our egos can make it difficult for us to admit our shortcomings. But I’ve found that it’s when we acknowledge our shortcomings that we can start taking responsibility for our behaviors. We owe it to ourselves, our team members, our family and friends and our communities to study our behaviors and take responsibility for them.
3. Stop Doing What’s Not Working
Once you’ve studied your behaviors, you’ll be able to pinpoint what’s working and what’s not. From there, stop doing what’s not working. Does that mean rushing to implement changes? No. Trying to implement changes in a hurry can have disastrous results.
The time between stopping a behavior that’s not working and applying a new behavior should be a learning phase. During that time, you’ll be in limbo. You should sit with yourself in discomfort and the unknown. Eventually, you’ll be able to brainstorm new ways of approaching problems. For instance, if you identified that you have a tendency to micromanage your team, stop micromanaging them. From there, you can observe how your team works and get their thoughts on what a productive working relationship with you might look like to them. You’ll then be able to devise new management strategies.
4. Start to Make Incremental Changes
After the learning stage, you can start making incremental changes. You might not have all the answers right away, and that’s OK. Trial and error, not perfection, is the name of the game. As you implement changes, examine the consequences of your new behavior —and adjust accordingly. I believe that the consequences of our behaviors should dictate our behaviors. But it often takes time to figure out what those consequences are.
Ultimately, as the saying goes, the only way out is through. When we stop romanticizing the past, take accountability and make changes, we give ourselves an opportunity to make the most of the present and future.
