Outrun Ordinary and Embrace Extraordinary: The Power of Positive Intelligence

There's more to being a founder than having game-changing ideas and dogged determination. You need mental resilience that stands up to the ups and downs of the entrepreneurial journey.

Startup life is filled with pitfalls – self-doubt, exhausting workloads, scarce resources, not to mention the constant hustle and grind that can lead to burnout and a lack of focus.

To thrive (and survive) the 'highs and lows' of entrepreneurship, the secret to might be found in a transformative practice known as Positive Intelligence (PQ).

Positive Intelligence is a theory developed by Shirzad Chamine and it looks at the relationship between how often your mind helps you, compared to how often it hinders you.

So what exactly is Positive Intelligence and how can it benefit founders?

Here's what you need to know...

Clearing the Fog

Positive Intelligence is a ground-breaking concept by Chamine that explores how often your mind works for you as opposed to against you. It’s all about improving mental fitness, and it's a game changer for entrepreneurs.

By strengthening the part of your brain that's on your side and quietening the part that's pulling you back, Positive Intelligence helps you confront life's challenges with positivity, leading to immediate and sustained improvements in both wellbeing and performance.

In fact, a survey of more than 2000 participants in Chamine's Positive Intelligence Program showed 90% reported more effective use of mental/emotional energy, 76% improved their ability to develop others and 85% experienced increased happiness in just six weeks.

Mental Fitness vs. Mental Health

While they might seem like two sides of the same coin, mental fitness and mental health are distinctly different.

Mental health speaks to your overall psychological and emotional wellbeing, and your ability to deal with stress, manage emotions, and foster healthy relationships.

On the other hand, mental fitness revolves around utilising your cognitive and emotional resources effectively to navigate life's hurdles.

"Mental health is the absence of mental illness, whereas mental fitness is the presence of positive mental habits regardless of whether you have a mental illness or not. Mental health is a state of mind, while mental fitness is the strength of mind that allows individuals to handle life's roller-coaster ride with grace, ease, and confidence,” Chamine says.

Become the Best Version of You

Only 20 percent of individuals and teams achieve their true potential. The rest of us waste a lot of our time and vital energy.

But, imagine being able to stay calm, clear-headed, stress-free, and positive, even in the midst of work and life’s greatest challenges?

Mental fitness opens your mind to the possibilities for achievement, peace of mind, wellbeing and better relationship building by helping you overcome your 'Saboteurs.'

Break Through Barriers Fast

The term 'Saboteurs' refers to the voices in your mind that generate stress and negative emotions, potentially undermining your happiness and performance.

They could be a harsh 'Judge' criticising your every move, or 'Accomplice Saboteurs' like the 'Avoider,' the 'Controller,' and the 'Hyper-Achiever,' among others.

Positive Intelligence provides research-backed tools to counter these Saboteurs. Through mental muscle training – the Saboteur Interceptor Muscle, Self-Command Muscle, and Sage Muscle – you can respond to challenges with a clear and calm mind, generating positive emotions.

For example, more than 85% of sales leaders within a global social media company, reported an improvement in emotional intelligence, better stress management, improved conflict resolution in personal relationships and more effective use of mental and emotional energy thanks to Mental Fitness training.

Rewire Your Brain

The most effective change comes not just from understanding, but from habit formation. Mental fitness teaches you to lay down new neural pathways, fostering positive habits through consistent daily practice.

Advances in functional MRI (fMRI) technologies have opened a window into the brain's inner workings, allowing scientists to identify the regions associated with the saboteurs and the Sage.

Through the lens of neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to reorganise and form new neural connections, you can shift the power balance from the saboteurs to the Sage – the brain area responsible for generating positive emotions.

Find Your OOMPH

So, as a founder, it's clear that nurturing your mental fitness can offer a pathway to greater resilience, reduced stress, and a more positive mindset, all of which can improve your ability to manage the inevitable trials of the entrepreneurial journey.

Caroline Kay, an Executive Leadership Coach and Mental Fitness Trainer, said:

"If you want to achieve your fullest potential and become an elite entrepreneurial performer, Mental Fitness gives you the tools you need to convert any challenge into an opportunity and bounce back positively."

Don't compromise your performance for your wellbeing. Embrace the power of Positive Intelligence and watch as you find your OOMPH, outrun the ordinary and move towards the extraordinary.