According to social scientists, there’s a difference between hope and optimism - one that’s important for our capacity to be resilient. We feel optimistic when we look to the future and believe good things will happen. But we feel hope when we stare into that future, anticipate the positive outcome, and believe we have a role in helping to shape it.
We can be motivated in many ways, but connecting to our inner ‘why’ is almost always more sustaining and powerful than external rewards, praise or punishment. More than four decades of research show that internal motivation is a strong predictor of high performance at work, at school, and in life. And in the context of adapting either to working from home or working in a very different way than we’re used to, helping people find that internal drive is probably one of the most important skills any leader should master.
Have you found yourself preoccupied by your news feed, depleted by multiple meetings, or distracted by little ones turning your desk into a fort? Many of us are feeling unsettled with our attention scattered on so many different things. Fortunately, research has shown that we can practice strengthening our attention muscles and return to a state of flow for a more enjoyable, energizing, and productive day.
