Page 83 - Men’s Health - USA (December 2019)

WHEN BAD

IS GOOD
Employ these
strategies from
social psychologist
Roy Baumeister,
Ph.D., and journal-
ist John Tierney to
use the negative to
your advantage.

1. DON’T RELY ON
THE CARROT
Rewarding your chil-
dren for good grades
(by giving them
money) is less pow-
erful than punishing
them for bad (ground-
ing them). Things are
a little different in the
workplace: Motivat-
ing employees with
both punishments
and rewards has been
shown to increase
productivity.

2. STRIVE TO FAIL
“It’s the mistakes you
make—that’s where
you learn and im-
prove,” says Tierney.
For instance, one
study showed that
students who
attempted and
to focus on the present, to manage stress. 5. FOCUS ON THE PRESENT failed a first round of
One way to reframe is to think about what For the majority of us, our greatest math problems later
you can learn from a negative experience, negativity is behind us—in our ten- outperformed their
peers who had been
not how it holds you back. dency to dwell on past mistakes and
immediately taught
regrets, according to Baumeister’s the correct strategy.
4. CHECK YOURSELF current research. The future also carries
“Why do you think you’re a good relation- negativity: stress about outcomes and 3. PAY ATTENTION
ship partner?” That’s what Baumeister potential failures. The present, however, TO THE ONE-STARS
If you’re a business
asks in his senior psych class at FSU. is something of a golden mean, a place
owner, Baumeister
Many of his students list what they do away from all that. “The mindfulness suggests being
well, saying that maybe being a good lis- people are right,” Baumeister says. attentive to negative
tener or a good sexual partner gives them “Keep your attention focused on the feedback. That’s
because negativity
an edge. It’s good to be good. “But what here and now.” Catch yourself regretting
can hurt a business
makes more impact,” says Baumeister, the past? Bring yourself back to now. more than positivity
“is not doing the bad things.” Because bad Worrying about tomorrow/next month/ can help. Going out
always outweighs good, what you do is less dinner tonight? Bring yourself back to of your way for cus-
important than what you don’t do. Some- now. If that’s too hard, just write down tomers is important,
but it’s not nearly as
times that means holding your tongue, he one thing you’re grateful for every day.
effective as focusing
adds, and putting a lid on the judging or That pushes away the negative and lets on how to minimize
curtness for minor infractions. the positive flow in. their unhappiness.

MEN’S HEALTH / December 2019 85