Whatever you are trying to accomplish, Jason Selk, author of Executive Toughness, says a relentless solution focus (RSF) will dramatically increase your chances of achieving it.

The tactic is this: Within 60-seconds, replace all problem focused thought with solution-focused thinking to dramatically improve your health, happiness, and success.

We naturally like to focus on and talk about our problems. “We all have the tendency to take the positive for granted. We allow it to become the faint background for the problems we draw in intricate, larger-than-life detail.” A focus on problems only produces more problems. Your mind can only focus on one thing at a time—better to have it focusing on solutions than problems.

“Anytime you catch yourself focusing on a problem, negativity, or self doubt, as yourself this question: What is the one thing I can do differently that could make this situation better?”

Any solution, even a partial one will begin to stop the negative emotions. “To ensure you have the necessary perseverance to continue searching for the viable solution, you must first realize that each and every problem has a solution. There’s always a +1 solution that brings you one step closer to a full solution. Most people want a solution that produces complete resolution to the problem….Any improvement, small or large, is a solution: a +1 solution to be precise.”

Selk, mental toughness is the ability to focus on and execute solutions, especially in the face of adversity. It is built on three skills: developing accountability (consistently doing what needs to be done), increasing focus, and becoming optimistic (confident in one’s abilities).

Selk was inspired by coach John Wooden and his belief in trusting the process; “give me those things that I know you can give me and I will take whatever comes.” Executive Toughness explains how to develop mental toughness through the daily practice of ten fundamentals.

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This entry was posted on Friday, March 16th, 2012 at 2:07 pm and is filed under Leadershipnow.com. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.