I read “The only thing that helped keep me calm during the layoffs was the perspective that we are in IT and that most of these people will find new positions sooner or later. Looking back, all of them did find new jobs.” and thought..
..yes, I work in IT, too, and (eventually) did find a new job. After 6 months (I’d call that ‘later’) and only through relocating interstate (which was difficult - and costly at a time when I had little money).
This was at the time of the GFC (though it wasn’t directly because of that).
It took me more than 10 years to recover. I’m lucky I have recovered (and believe me: it was as much good luck as good management). I know people who did not.
Sure: an optimistic attitude can help. But it is no guarantee.
Good luck helps more but is (more-or-less by definition) unevenly distributed. Those who don’t receive it are no less deserving, and no more culpable, than those who do.
Michał, I typically agree with your perspective. However, this time our POVs seem to be light years away :( 6 Oscar nominations for all the major categories, great performances in leading, supporting, a minor roles (J.K. Simmons, Sam Elliot), 90% fresh certified on RT, and surprisingly relevant subject (maybe even more than at the time or its release) of connectedness, loneliness, and empathy. How could you call Up in the Air a "rather mediocre" movie? It might not be a masterpiece of cinematography, but surely deserves some praise ;)
What a great article, Michał!
Focusing on the things I can control, helps me a lot.
Ultimately, as Stoics say: "amor fati".
Thanks for your kind words!
Great quote from the Stoics. It's timeless.
Thanks for sharing it, Rafa!
The Worst Case Scenario - This is my go-to method.
Every time I get into a scenario that might turn out bad, I automatically think to myself "What's the worst thing that could happen?"
99.99% of the time, I find ways to mitigate the worst thing or find ways to overcome it.
Then I calm down and continue.
For example, sometimes I get stressed about the fact that I didn't make any money yet and I might "waste" all my savings.
Then I think: "I can go back to work and get things done on weekends".
As I think about that, I already think of a solution to what if this doesn't work.
Fantastic article Michał
That's the reason for looking at worst-case scenarios: "I calm down and continue."
I'm glad that it resonated.
I appreciate your kind words, Orel!
Being positive is a superpower.
I read “The only thing that helped keep me calm during the layoffs was the perspective that we are in IT and that most of these people will find new positions sooner or later. Looking back, all of them did find new jobs.” and thought..
..yes, I work in IT, too, and (eventually) did find a new job. After 6 months (I’d call that ‘later’) and only through relocating interstate (which was difficult - and costly at a time when I had little money).
This was at the time of the GFC (though it wasn’t directly because of that).
It took me more than 10 years to recover. I’m lucky I have recovered (and believe me: it was as much good luck as good management). I know people who did not.
Sure: an optimistic attitude can help. But it is no guarantee.
Good luck helps more but is (more-or-less by definition) unevenly distributed. Those who don’t receive it are no less deserving, and no more culpable, than those who do.
Thanks for sharing your story, Mike!
You are right that luck plays its role. Being optimistic about something won't guarantee success.
The situations I was in, given what I knew about the market and the companies that were hiring, put me on the more optimistic side.
I'm glad you recovered! I appreciate your comment.
Michał, I typically agree with your perspective. However, this time our POVs seem to be light years away :( 6 Oscar nominations for all the major categories, great performances in leading, supporting, a minor roles (J.K. Simmons, Sam Elliot), 90% fresh certified on RT, and surprisingly relevant subject (maybe even more than at the time or its release) of connectedness, loneliness, and empathy. How could you call Up in the Air a "rather mediocre" movie? It might not be a masterpiece of cinematography, but surely deserves some praise ;)
Krzysztof, thank you for showing me this perspective. I acknowledge that I was too harsh.
Considering how much it helped my perception, I edited it to: "It’s not a masterpiece"
Nice, I totally agree. It's also worth mentioning that people with more positive attitude tend to live longer :)
That's an important addition, Marcin — Thank You!