6 habits of people who thrive in a crisis
Here are six habits that will help you thrive in any crisis.
This year has been hard on all of us. The start of this year they were a lot of things I wanted to do. For one, I wanted to travel and release my new book. That was at the back of mind, but that didn’t work out. My father used to say to me when I was younger, “don’t worry about what you can’t change.” As a kid I didn’t understand this, and I always used to worry about every little thing. From people’s perception of me to whether I could change someone’s mind.
The older I have got; I have realized most things are out of our control. We can’t change everything, and we can’t change the way the world is. All we can do is change our perspective and pivot from what has happened this year. Pandemics and crisis aren’t new. If we were to look through the history books, they were filled with them and yet people survived. But they are a few that thrived. In 2008, a lot of entrepreneurs emerged, and that changed the dynamic,
It changed the way the world works and runs. It’s as if a light was switched on and a flood of entrepreneurs came out of one of the most trying periods in recent times. If you want to thrive in a crisis, these are a few of the habits you need to have in order to achieve that.
Your story
We all have a story we want to tell. One that will inspire and encourage. But the story we tell isn’t as important as the story we tell other people. What is your why? Simon Sinek spoke about this in his book. But to thrive in a crisis I need you to ask yourself what is your why? Knowing your why is important for you to thrive in a crisis.
Who do you want to be? It’s important to ask yourself this question because this is one habit that will help you thrive in a crisis. This habit will help you understand who do you want to be? Your future you. Regardless of what many of us have believed, your personality isn’t set in stone. You can change who you are. In 2018, I was defensive. I had built walls around me to protect myself, but it took me working on my business to work on myself.
I realized if I was going to be successful; I had to stop letting criticism affect me. It wasn’t a bad thing. My perception of it was what was bad. As soon as I changed the narrative, I knew who I wanted to be, and what I wanted to do with my life. Who you are today won’t be the case a year or two from now? Our experiences shape who we become. It’s important to note that.
Growth mindset
Another habit of people who thrive in a crisis is a growth mindset. You need to have a growth mindset in order for you to move in the right direction. What exactly is a growth mindset? I didn’t know what a growth mindset was two years ago. I had to figure it out. What I discovered is that a person with growth mindset will push themselves to get where they want to go. Regardless of what obstacles that are in their way, they accept they will make mistakes so they can achieve the results they want.
It’s a belief that you can change anything as long as you work through it. Whether those are your limiting beliefs, lack of confidence, finances and your surroundings. Having a growth mindset anything is possible. That is what a growth mindset is. It’s a habit that’s extremely important for you to survive in a crisis. Why? Because whenever a crisis happens, it leaves you stuck.
Everything shifts from what you are used to, and then you face what’s next. What move do you make next? What do you do next? It’s then that you have to ask yourself whether you can move forward. But with a growth mindset you might fall, but you will pick up yourself up. Having a growth mindset is a habit that will help you thrive in a crisis.
Also Related: Is a Success Mindset Still Key to Success
Embrace the unknown
In 2018, I was planning on moving to a new city. I have always had nomadic habits; I should have been used to moving to a new city every couple of years. Still, I didn’t know what would happen. I wasn’t just moving to a new city; I was going to move in with a relative.
The uncertainty of it all was terrifying. But one habit you must possess to thrive in a crisis is embracing the unknown or discomfort. A simple reason is that there are no guarantees. There’s no guarantee ensured in life. You can’t go to a store and give back the hurdles of the challenges you faced. There’s no return to sender when you face hiccups. So, the only thing you can do is embrace the unknown.
You don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. Sure, they are certain things that will work out. There are certain things that won’t out, but you don’t know what will happen. Just like I did not understand what would happen when I moved to a new city. Next year we do not understand what will happen. If you don’t embrace the unknown, it will haunt you and you will be too terrified to step up your game.
Step up the game
This year the one term I heard more than most was, “learn to pivot.” I did not understand what it meant, but now I do. Now, I realize how important this term is. One habit that can help you thrive in a crisis is you need to learn to step up your game or pivot. What this means is you need to change your routine. Change what you are doing in order to survive.
If the method you used to use doesn’t work, then change it. If you are losing customers, find out what you are missing. If you are struggling to get someone onto your email list, then try alternative methods to do it. If you were fired, find out how you can make money while you find another job.
For every problem there’s a solution, but you just need to look for it. That’s an important factor. Finding a solution for the problem is how you thrive. Those who thrive in a crisis have learned this habit is important. Every successful person has had to do it. Steve Jobs had to do this to improve his sales for Apple products. If you look at any business, they all have this one trait. They step up their game. Whether it is the way they approach business or people or how they sale. Stepping up your game is important for you to thrive in a crisis. It will help you solve your problems quicker.
Also Related: How to Face and Overcome Obstacles
Clear vision
Your vision has to be clear. What does this have to do with thriving in a crisis? A clear vision is a habit that many of us struggle with. But it is important to thrive in any crisis. When you are stuck what helps to get you unstuck. Years ago, when I was in a rut, I would stay that way for months.
Not sure what to do next with your life. And now that’s not the case. Now, I realize a clear vision will help you understand what your next steps should be. It will also give you the motivation to zero in on your goals. There’s nothing you can do about what happens around you. Still, that should never stop you for going for what you want. A clear vision should push you into the right direction. This is one habit many of us don’t focus on enough.
A clear vision defines a strategy for you. It also gives you direction. Let’s say in the beginning of this year you wanted to start a business. But you weren’t sure what kind of business to start. Many of us get overwhelmed with life that we put our dreams on back burners, but it is easier to do that when your vision is clear. But if your vision is clear, then you are most likely going to keep moving regardless of the challenges you face.
Also Related: 7 Tips for Creating a Clear Vision for Your Life
Be kind to yourself
Failure is inevitable. You will make plans and they won’t come through. You will face another set of challenges and you might fail to work through them. That’s okay. Be kind to yourself. I struggled with that. Loving yourself in a stormy period isn’t easy, but need to love yourself to heal.
I had to be gracious to myself when hardship struck. Was it easy? No. But this habit is important for you to thrive in a crisis. Many of us forget how to love ourselves in the storms and when we fail. We forget by being kind to yourself it’s empowering and not a weakness. Belittling yourself when you fail won’t help you at all. It will do the opposite. It will cause pain and then comes the doubt. Limiting beliefs stop us from going after what we want.
It prevents us from pushing ourselves. Because to protect ourselves, we tend not to put ourselves out there. But to thrive in any crisis, you must put yourself out there. However, you also need to be kind to yourself. Focus on this habit in any part of your life and you will thrive in any crisis.
KEEP PUSHING
VANESSA
What is your takeaway from the blog post and how will you thrive in a crisis. Comment below