The only time I truly felt a loss was in 2007 when I stepped down as chairman and CEO of United Rentals, the world’s largest equipment rental company. I started looking for the next big thing, couldn’t find it, and for the first and only time in my life, I fell into depression. Maybe I’ve just fallen off the rush of success, but I’m an ambitious person by nature and tend to make deals.
Now, I had no deals to close and no industries I could imagine where I could use my magic. What happened next for me? Around this time, a close friend of mine confided in me that she was struggling with suicidal thoughts. I desperately wanted to help, but felt rather helpless due to my own anxious disorientation and ignorance of my self-destructive impulses. To help my friends and myself, I started reading psychology books. This led to my deep interest in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
I found a very knowledgeable CBT therapist and saw him twice a week for two years. During that time, I learned a lot about why my mind works the way it does. Our thought processes are full of all kinds of cognitive distortions, from catastrophizing (thinking of small problems as big obstacles) to perfectionism, where anything that can’t be done perfectly causes intense frustration. Another common cognitive distortion is dichotomous thinking (having a rigid or “all or nothing” view).
Orbit correction
Learning to recognize these thought patterns and course correct accordingly has saved me a lot of trouble. For example, I learned how to turn my inner chatter to my advantage by reframing negative thoughts as useful data rather than objective reality. I don’t take success for granted. Unexpected situations can occur at any time. A healthy fear of failure keeps me calm. The process of running a business will inevitably test your prejudices against hopes and fears. Are you being too conservative about your predictions? Is fear keeping you from jumping into opportunities? Are your fears based in fact, or are your biases driving your negative emotions? • By keeping bias out of your decision-making, you have a much better chance of success.
When I find myself feeling anxious about something, I ask myself the basic questions of CBT: “What is the worst that could happen and how would you deal with it?” or “If a friend had similar concerns, how would you advise them to deal with it?” themselves By putting some distance between yourself and the source of your anxiety, you can think more objectively about positive outcomes. When we accept that life is imperfect, we make less self-defeating demands for perfection on ourselves and others.
Finally, I’ll share something that you might want to spend some time decluttering your own brain. “Don’t blame yourself” is a hard-learned lesson for me and those around me. When I reached middle age and stopped expecting unrealistic levels of perfection from myself, my family, friends, and colleagues, as well as my customers, vendors, and shareholders, I became much happier. The reality is that when trying to make billions of dollars, teams will probably run in different directions at a fast pace. Accept that some failures are inevitable. Then you will find it much easier to maintain mental equilibrium when pursuing big goals.
positive emotions are important
If you want to see problems and opportunities differently, you need to push yourself. Thought experiments help you reposition your brain in a certain way, allowing your mind to go wherever it needs to go and feel comfortable wherever you are. Albert Einstein was a consummate daydreamer.he liked the word Gedanken Experiments, the original name of the German thought experiment. During one such Gedanken experiment, while riding a ray of light and imagining what time and space would look like, Einstein came up with the relationship between energy and matter, which he famously expressed in the equation E = mc.2 .
Deliberate daydreaming (or speculative experiments, mental synthesis, whatever you want to call it) can change the way we see the world, but thought experiments are not limited to genius scientists. there is no. Talented artists, composers, and mathematicians use them, sometimes without realizing it, for creative work and problem solving. A hypnotherapist evokes vivid imagination during a trance state. Yogis do it while practicing inner inquiry, and some religious orders access the Gedanken experiment through meditative prayer.
Meditation has been my main hobby since I was a teenager. It helped me stay calm and think creatively in difficult situations. I typically spend about 30 minutes a day meditating (15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at night), and much of that time is spent experimenting with meditation. For me, this creates a deep sense of calm and is when many of the best decisions come true. Some Gedanken experiments leave you in awe of the grandeur of the universe. Or think about how you felt when you saw a beautiful piece of art, saw a sunrise, connected with music, or held a child in your arms. Daydreaming exercises remind us that positive emotions are important, especially in chaotic business environments.
Many years ago, I invented an introspective mind-brain technique in which the brain actually experiences itself. I call this “feeling the brain,” and I believe it is one of the most impactful things I have ever done to help myself and others. Masu. This technology is based on how the brain communicates with different parts of the body. For example, the elbow is a relatively simple body part. The brain interacts with the elbow through electrochemical signals, but not as much as with the highly complex hand. There is a large amount of “dialogue” between the hands and the brain to enable fine motor skills. When I’m low on energy, my favorite technique to rejuvenate and get creative is to close my eyes and gently let my mind float. If you stare at your hands for a few minutes, the strong brain-hand connection can induce a dissociative trance-like experience.
My brain sensing technique is similar, but instead of placing your awareness in your hands, you place it in your brain. I close my eyes and slowly merge my mind with its physical counterpart, the brain, and “feel” it like touch. The effect is a spontaneous explosion of rich and unusual experiences. In many cases, sensory boundaries become confused, leading to synaesthesia. You may see sounds, hear colors, and smell emotions. If you’re tired or simply unfocused, closing your eyes and feeling your brain will give you an instant boost of energy. Feeling your brain is a powerful technique that helps you rejuvenate and become more creative. We encourage you to try it out and see for yourself. It might even help you become a millionaire.
Author Brad Jacobs how to make billions of dollars, Chairman of the Board of Directors of XPO, GXO, and RXO, Managing Partner of Jacobs Private Equity, and Chairman-elect and CEO of QXO, a new entrant to the building products distribution industry. He has led over 500 transactions in his 30+ years of building businesses.
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