Feeling Frustrated? Do This!

If you’re starting your day feeling frustrated, nervous, or fearful, you’re not alone. Eighteen percent of the US population (40 million people) are affected by anxiety according to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America. If you ignore these feelings, they will undermine your confidence and weaken you to the point of paralyzing any forward movement you’d like to see in your life ultimately requiring professional help to overcome them.  The good news is you can kick these feelings to the curb while they’re small with three simple steps.

1. Stop staring at the problem! When you’re feeling frustrated, anxious, or fearful, it’s because you’re staring at the problem you have in your life. The thing you need to understand is that problems feed on attention. The more attention you give it, the bigger your problem gets. The secret to success when dealing with a problem is that every one of them comes with an opportunity hidden somewhere inside them. That’s what you need to be searching for. Acknowledge the problem, learn from the problem, and then find the opportunity.
2. Make a plan. Now take the time to make a plan to get yourself back on track. You may not be able to fix the problem right now, but you can change direction in an instant. Starting with the result you desire, backward engineer a path to where you are now. Voila! Your plan, Monsieur.
3. Take action IMMEDIATELY! Now is the time to take action on your plan. Don’t think about it. Don’t wait for the perfect time. Do something NOW!!! Then continue taking action until you’re out of the woods and back on your path to success. This step is crucial because, without it, the previous two steps were an exercise in futility. You can do this!

Feeling frustrated, anxious, and even fearful are normal and happen to everyone at different times in their lives. It’s what you do when you’re feeling this way that separates greatness from mediocrity. Show the world how AMAZING you are by being great!