“You have the freedom to choose your attitude in any situation.” – I recently heard this remarkable sentence in the podcast by Leon Windscheid and Atze Schröder (Betreutes Fühlen – Raus aus der Opferrolle).
In a complex and uncertain world, coupled with high demands and high stresses, it is not always easy not to feel like a victim of the framework conditions at times. We all complain about certain situations sometimes, right?
However, to go through our lives self-determined and satisfied, it means seeing ourselves in the Driver’s Seat and not as a passive observer in the back seat. The inner attitude that we always have a choice and that we can consciously decide to “do” or “not do” is enormously important. We all always have room for maneuver and are able to consciously decide for or against something.
When we realize that we have this choice, we are able to work on solutions and alternatives. Our mindset drives our behavior. Sometimes we have to adjust our inner attitude and find a way to accept the situation. Sometimes we have to consciously say “no” and sometimes it’s about looking around for alternatives. The very fact that I have the freedom to say “no” opens up completely different perspectives.
If instead we see ourselves as victims, we feel bad and are no longer in control of things. Prominent examples of people show that – even despite severe strokes of fate – we always have the choice to make the best of every situation and take life into our own hands. Samuel Koch, Kristina Vogel, Nathalie Birli are remarkable people in this context.
At the same time, it’s not just a matter of controlling your own mindset. Particularly in everyday professional life, the question arises as to how it is possible to get others out of their victim attitude and to ensure more personal responsibility and self-determination. We address these aspects in our leadership seminars. The topics of “speaking up for oneself,” “generating genuine commitment,” and “living trust and encouragement” play an important role in this.
By the way, last week in my international leadership seminar I had a discussion with a Chinese participant. She said that in China, not everyone is likely to be free to vote, but that this is about to change among the younger generation due to greater economic opportunities. That puts me in a positive frame of mind.
Just knowing that I am in control of my own life and can control my own attitude at any time helps me personally to deal with difficult situations.
How do you feel about this topic? What is your experience?
Contribution by Thomas Frodeno,
Senior Consultant
#mindset #personality development #leadership
