No matter what setback you’re facing, you can start becoming more resilient right now.

Some people seem to bounce back quickly from things that would set most of us back for a while. When their business totally fails, they have a new business or a new job before you know it. When their company is disrupted, they thrive and even get ahead. Even when personal tragedy strikes, an accident or medical emergency, some people find ways to put their life back together sooner than anyone might have expected.

Most of us take more time to begin moving forward after a catastrophic event. Some people bounce back faster than others. During the pandemic, employers and employees faced career and financial catastrophe en masse. Resilient companies began to hire quickly. Resilient workers got ready to bounce back. The word of the day was pivot. You can use the same techniques they did to get ready for your personal recovery.

What makes some people more resilient than others?

Career success results from being positive, not the other way around. People who are more optimistic are naturally more resilient. Biologically, we all have an optimism set point, with some of us naturally more optimistic than others. But optimistic people aren’t always born that way. A large part of your outlook is determined by conscious efforts to see the world in a positive light.

People who make the effort needed to stay positive, even in difficult times, foster resilience. They don’t waste their time on what’s out of their control. No blaming others, no railing against unfairness, no anger at others or world events. They don’t ruminate, endlessly replaying in your head ideas, thoughts, or situations. Instead, they move out of negative thinking by tackling problems one at a time, and using mindfulness techniques like affirmations to stop negative thoughts from digging into a rut.

When it comes to careers, what makes people resilient is a relentless focus on what they can control, namely, their mindset, their strategy, and their outreach. Together, these three areas create a positive force-field that draw people and opportunities to them. Regardless of how optimistic you are or how difficult things are now, these are things you can control right now to start turning things around.

Here are ideas to improve your your mindset, strategy, and outreach to improve your resilience.

  1. Mindset. Getting positive about yourself is the most important thing you can do to get back on track. Other people intuitively pick up on what you feel about yourself, even over the phone or on a video-conference. You need to believe in yourself before anyone else can believe in you. To become more resilient, you need to be positive about yourself. That kind of optimism is easy for some of us, harder for others. If you have been putting off dealing with deeper issues that hold you back from feeling good about yourself, now is a perfect time to start turning your mindset around and finding ways to be happy with yourself. Here is a list of ideas to help create a more positive mindset:
    1. Deal with your anxiety.
    2. Practice gratitude daily and write down three things you’re grateful for every day. Follow my Gratitude Project on social media for inspiration.
    3. Read an inspirational book. I recommend The How of Happiness, The Untethered Soul, or Atomic Habits. These all offer great, practical steps for becoming more positive about yourself.
    4. Get a coach or therapist. If you find yourself getting bitter or defensive, it’s a sign that you have old insecurities and traumas. You might need help getting through that. This is probably the most valuable investment you can make in your future.
  2. Strategy: Your next opportunity is not going to come and sit on your lap. You need to go out and find it, and you need to be ready when you see something you like. You’ll be more successful if you have a search strategy that emphasizes flexibility and readiness. Be open minded. Your next job might not be anything like your last job. Think about the skills you have developed, and be creative about how they can be useful in new situations. Write a list of the 10 most interesting things you’ve done or that have happened to you. Then think beyond your technical and industry skills to your people skills. If you’re not sure what you’re good at, try the Clifton Strengths Assessment to identify your top 5 skills out of the 34 most valued skills. Then be ready to tell your story with your strengths as a headline. If someone asks you to tell them about yourself, have a few sentences ready that capture who you are. Instead of bragging, try acknowledging how fortunate you have been to have had certain experiences that helped you learn your skills. The more positive, engaging, and humorous you can be, the better. Practice your sentences a few times each day until they roll off your tongue.
  3. Outreach: You never know where your next opportunity will come from. By reaching out often to your network of family, friends, current or former co-workers, you’ll stay top of mind for whatever comes their way. Don’t rely on social media for this effect. Live interactions where there is a give and take in conversation is much more powerful. Handwritten notes and emails are next, and social media is the least powerful way to be on others’ minds. You don’t have to have a reason, just call to say hi. Listening is the highest form of respect, so they will be inclined to return the favor by referring you to opportunities they happen to come across. The most effective way to activate your network is to set outreach goals. I recommend at least 2 live interactions a day (phone or video-conference), at least 5 email interactions, and at least 1 social media post a day. Handwritten notes are more powerful than email, so try to get a few of those out each week too. Double these goals for even greater effect! Remember, looking for a job is a job, so dedicate time to it.

No matter how prepared–or unprepared–you are for what’s going on right now, you can start making yourself ready to get back on track sooner rather than later. Start with your mindset, strategy, and outreach, and get ready for results.