How to Get Past Negativity Bias and Hardwire Positive Experiences: I found this article extremely insightful, not only in outlining the many ways we form negativity bias but also through listing concrete steps to form a positive outlook. As a singer, I am frequently exposed to judgement and subject to feedback that is both positive and negative. And, yet, the hardest critic in any of my performances is always myself. Performance is all about perspective and repetition; whether you think you are going to do something well or poorly, you are likely correct. If you develop a cycle of positive performance experiences, you are more likely to continue having them through a subconscious reference to those emotions. And, unfortunately, if you associate performance with the anxiety and failure it can often yield, you may get stuck in a negative cycle and experience crippling nerves in every endeavor. This article listed a lot of helpful things to consider when preparing for a performance, and though I have done well to conquer my nerves, I now have some tools to use if the negativity finds its way back into my head.
Silence the Critical Voices in Your Head: This article similarly hit home with me. In the example outlined in this piece, a largely successful business owner asked 15 employees for their feedback. They all had wonderful things to say about the boss, and seldom offered anything negative or constructive. The boss, however, received the feedback as being "devastating" because their responses didn't meet his every goal (which really just means he became upset because he wasn't perfect.... shocker). At the end of the day, nobody is ever going to be perfect and this misunderstanding of constructive feedback leads to a false perception of reality. When somebody has a comment on a performance, I often focus on that negative outcome as if the positive things never happened. Then, I feel like everyone's perception of my performance ability is indicated only by that mistake rather than the vast majority of things that went well. I love this article because it reminded me that the way I see my own efforts and the way others see them are usually different, and it's important to dwell on the known positives rather than questions and negatives.
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"Be Thankful" Graphic from Pexels
Be Thankful
Silence the Critical Voices in Your Head: This article similarly hit home with me. In the example outlined in this piece, a largely successful business owner asked 15 employees for their feedback. They all had wonderful things to say about the boss, and seldom offered anything negative or constructive. The boss, however, received the feedback as being "devastating" because their responses didn't meet his every goal (which really just means he became upset because he wasn't perfect.... shocker). At the end of the day, nobody is ever going to be perfect and this misunderstanding of constructive feedback leads to a false perception of reality. When somebody has a comment on a performance, I often focus on that negative outcome as if the positive things never happened. Then, I feel like everyone's perception of my performance ability is indicated only by that mistake rather than the vast majority of things that went well. I love this article because it reminded me that the way I see my own efforts and the way others see them are usually different, and it's important to dwell on the known positives rather than questions and negatives.
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"Be Thankful" Graphic from Pexels
Be Thankful
Hi Hunter, I too chose the article about Silencing the Critical Voices in Your Head because I think majority of college students all struggle with someone always telling them they aren't good enough in some form or another, and it is so important to maintain a positive mindset that although things may not turn out as planned, they can always try again or find something else they may excel at and never knew without failing at the first thing.
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