EMBRACE THE SUCK

The fastest way to process and move through change is to confront reality. Getting on with finding ways to get through a challenging situation by dealing with it head-on will help you move to a more productive state of mind much quicker.

NAVIGATE THE STORM

Not being in control of your emotions is one of the biggest blockers to being mentally agile and able to switch to a more growth-oriented mindset. Start by understanding any irrational fears, limiting beliefs, and bad habits you hold that block your ability to interpret challenges as opportunities and then capitalize on the upside.

DON’T BE THERE WHEN THE HURRICANE HITS

Successful people have developed the ability to remove themselves from potentially disastrous situations before they get caught in the turbulence. Learn to read the signs of today better to make decisions about your future and extricate yourself. A good example is the one guy who has been reading market signals and jumps ship early before getting caught in an en-masse round of layoffs.

KNOW YOUR LIMITATIONS

The most successful leaders have rock star mindsets. They know they are awesome, but they are also completely in touch with their limitations. They may not have all the answers, but they trust their ability to figure things out. A superpower of the mentally agile is the ability to build an entourage of people to reach out to when they need to solve for something that goes beyond their existing knowledge and skills.

ANTICIPATE THE FUTURE

Expecting the best but planning for the worst is a practice of the mentally agile. Drawing on the mind hack of negative visualization (imagining everything that could get in the way of success of a particular challenge and preparing your responses in advance) helps to bolster this capability. It’s how bomb experts slow down their heart rates during the act of diffusing an explosive.

BE BUSY

Have you ever wondered how even a mediocre team can rise to extraordinary levels when adversity hits? Contrary to popular belief, staying busy is a great way to focus on navigating through crisis to achieve a positive turnaround. If you’re feeling stressed, distract yourself by keeping your mind and hands busy.

TREAT ADVERSITY AS A GAME

Treating adversity as a game can be one of the best ways to trick your mind into getting through a difficult situation and coming out even stronger on the other side. An everyday example would be looking for a new job. Instead of becoming demotivated by all the résumés you’re sending out with minimal success, try to stay focused by beating your quota of résumés you’re getting out each day. It triggers the reward center in your brain and motivates you to get a new job faster.

FOCUS ON OTHERS

Taking the focus off yourself to contribute to the lives of others is one of the fastest ways to boost your positivity and gratitude for life when you’re feeling the most down. An example: The holidays can be a lonely time of year for people. Instead of wallowing in misery, go and spend your day helping out at a soup kitchen. This is a powerful mind hack to flip your mood from sad to glad in an instant.