NLP & GO

Handling Frustration

Date: 4/3/2006

One reason many people do not achieve their goals is that they do not know how to handle frustration.  By contrast, people who are successful in any field have handled much frustration as they achieve their success. 

In today's world of conveniences, learning to deal with frustrations can be very challenging.  We like things to run smoothly and, of course, that it is not always the case.  Here are some ideas to make it easier to handle the frustrations that inevitably arise.

The first key to being able to handle frustration is awareness.  Realize and accept that there will be frustrations and that you will want to plow your way through them to get where you want to go. You can even learn to enjoy the process:  Keep in mind what you want to achieve and why it is important to you.

The second key is to look at the little--and big--failures as feedback.  See them as opportunities for learning what does not work. Then, think of a better way to do it, and the next chance you have, try out your new idea.

The third key is to develop a supportive attitude.  For example,  I know a big businessman who has to handle lots of frustration all day long, every day.  He told me that  the following attitude helps him:  "You have to put more into life than you take out of it."  When something goes wrong, he reminds himself that you have to put more into life than you take out of it.

Many people who constantly experience frustration probably have the opposite attitude.  But. by lowering your expectations of people and of situations you will reduce your frustrations. Then you will have more energy to put into accomplishing what you want.

Think of it this way...When people learn to walk they fall down. It's expected. If they wouldn't, they would never learn how to walk independently.  When we fall down, that little failure (and sometimes those falls can be nasty) is what teaches us what not to do.  Then, as you walk more and more, you figure out what yes to do.  You are learning from your mistakes. You begin to understand how to coordinate leg and arm movements with your sense of balance and with what your eyes and ears perceive. True, the process takes time and effort, but it becomes more and more automatic the more you practice. Unquestionably, it is very worthwhile. Then, before you know it you are...

(partly based on "Unlimited Power" by Anthony Robbins, pages 373-375)

Please send me any stories you have relating to this article!