Instructions:

For each statement, rate yourself from 1 (one) to 5 (five) in column "C" that describes you best.
Please answer questions as you actually are (rather than how you think you should be).
When you are finished, go to the "Result" worksheet by clicking the "Result" tab at the bottom.

14 Statements to Rate Rating

When my boss or a customer asks to speak with me, I instinctively assume that he
1 4
or she wants to discuss a problem or give me negative feedback.

When I experience real difficulty at work/home, I also feel negative about other
2 2
parts of my life.

When I experience a setback, I tend to believe the obstacle will endure for the long-
3 term, e.g. "The funding didn't come through, so I guess that means they hate the
project. All that work for nothing."

When a team I am on is functioning poorly, I believe that the cause is short-term

4 and has a straightforward solution. For example, "We're not working well at the
moment, but if we can fix this problem, then we'll do much better!"

When I'm not chosen for an assignment I really want, I tend to believe that I just
5 don't have the specific skills they are looking for right now, as opposed to thinking I
am generally unskilled.

When something happens that I don't like or appreciate, I can tend to conclude that
the cause is widespread in nature and will continue to plague me. For example, "My
6
assistant didn't 'cc' me on that email she sent to my boss. Administrative assistants
are all out to prove how much smarter they are than their supervisors."

When I perform very well on an assignment, I believe that it's because I'm generally
7
talented and smart, as opposed to thinking I am good in that one very specific area.

When I receive a reward or recognition, I can tend to figure that luck or fate played
8 more of a role than my actual work or skill. For example, "They asked me to be the
key note speaker at the conference next year. I guess the other guys were all busy."

When I come up with a really good idea, I am surprised by my creativity. I figure it

9
is my lucky day, and caution myself not to get used to the feeling.

When something bad happens at work, I see the contributions that everyone made
10
to the mistake, as opposed to thinking that I am incompetent and to blame.

After winning an award/recognition/contract, I believe it's because I am better than

11 the competition. For example, "We won that large contract against two strong
competitors. We're simply better than they are."

As the leader, when my team completes a project, I tend to attribute the success to
12 the hard work and dedication of the team members, as opposed to my skilled
leadership.

When I make a decision that proves to be successful, it's because I have expertise
13 on the subject and analyzed that particular problem really well, as opposed to being
generally a strong decision maker.

When I achieve a long-term and personally challenging goal, I congratulate myself,

14
and think about all the skills that I used in order to be successful.
 How positive are you?
2-Apr-24

You are 60.00% positive

You try to be optimistic and positive however some situations get the better of you. Identify your
triggers for negative thinking and use rational thinking exercises to become naturally more optimistic.

Permanence 60.00%
Pervasiveness 64.00%
Personalization 56.00%

64.00%

60.00%

56.00%

Permanence Pervasiveness Personalization

e and negative thoughts can become self-fulfilling prophecies: What we expect can often come true.

start off thinking you will mess up a task, the chances are that you will: You may not try hard enough to succeed, you
support from other people, and you may not perceive any results as good enough.

e thinking, on the other hand, is often associated with positive actions and outcomes. You're drawn to, and you focus o
e aspects of a situation. You have hope and faith in yourself and others, and you work and invest hard to prove that yo
sm is warranted. You'll enthuse others, and they may well "pitch in" to help you. This makes constructive outcomes all
kely.

t comes down to it, positive, optimistic people are happier and healthier, and enjoy more success than those who think
vely. The key difference between them is how they think about and interpret the events in their life.

Negatives into Positives

st step in changing negative thinking is to become aware of it. For many of us, negative thinking is a bad habit – and w
en know we're doing it!

er this example: The guy on the subway who just made a face is surely directing his behavior at you. When the recepti
t greet you in the morning, you must have done something to anger her. Again! You go straight to the coffee machine,
e it's Monday morning and you just know you'll be solving problems until lunchtime. When you finally get to your desk,
nt is waiting for you. "Oh no," you think. "What has he done now? The first problem of the day. Yippee!"

re feeling bad after reading this, imagine how it would feel to surround yourself with that much negativity. Then ask yo
s the way you tend to think in your own life?

tin Seligman, who has been described as America's most influential psychologist, has done extensive research on thoug
ns. In particular, he looks at the impact of an optimistic versus pessimistic outlook on life and success.

an says we explain events using three basic dimensions of Permanence, Pervasiveness and Personalization, with optim
on one end of the scale and pessimistic people on the other. We look at these below.

nence
ng that something we are experiencing is either permanent or temporary. A low score implies that you think bad times
n forever. A high score shows confidence that you'll be able to get things back on course quickly.

mist: I lost my job and I'll never find one as good again. No point even looking!

ist: I lost my job. Thank goodness there are other opportunities I can explore!

siveness

ng that situational factors cause an effect or that the effect is evidence of more universal factors at work. A low score s
u tend to think that if you've experienced a problem in one place, you'll experience that problem wherever you go.

mist: I lost my job. Companies are all the same; all they care about is money. I don't know why I bother putting in any

ist: I lost my job. It's too bad our company has to reinvent itself to stay competitive. Thankfully I learned some great
rable skills!
nalization
ng that something about you influenced the outcome or that something external to you caused it. A low score indicates
nd to blame yourself for bad things, rather than attributing the cause to more general factors.

mist: I lost my job. If I had been a decent employee they would have found a new job for me.

ist: I lost my job. I gave it my all, however they just can't use my skill set right now.

ape Your Thinking

nswers to the questions in this quiz can show whether you have a positive or negative pattern of thinking. They're also
g points to become more aware of your thoughts - and the effect they have on your life.

you're more aware of the way you think, you can take action to use positive situations to your advantage, and re-shape
ve ones. The goal is to think positively, regardless of the situation, and make a conscious effort to see opportunities ins
acles.

our example, if you immediately think the receptionist is mad at you because she didn't say hello, how rational is that?
ve been busy or distracted when you walked by? Did you say hello to her? Maybe she wasn't feeling well, or she was in
ve mood herself. These are all more rational reasons for her behavior than simply assuming that you did something wro