Your attitude has a signifi cant effect on your stress level and whether
you can shift your set point.
Your attitude is your way of approach-
ing your life.
To explore the range of differences in attitude, Salvator
Maddi and Suzanne Kobasa, two research psychologists from the
University of Chicago, identifi ed attitudinal characteristics that help a person deal with stress.
They studied busy and successful execu-
tives and identifi ed three characteristics they had in common:
1. Commitment: People feel invested in what they are doing.
They have energy for and are interested in their duties.
2. Control: People have the realistic sense that what they
are doing is in their realm of control; that is, they consider
themselves to be active participants in their work instead of
feeling hopeless and victimized by the work conditions.
This
is in contrast to developing learned helplessness.
3. Challenge: People view change as an opportunity to act
differently rather than as a crisis from which to defend
themselves.
These three C ’ s are the attitudes that can help you to stay healthy
despite having to deal with high levels of stress.
you can shift your set point.
Your attitude is your way of approach-
ing your life.
To explore the range of differences in attitude, Salvator
Maddi and Suzanne Kobasa, two research psychologists from the
University of Chicago, identifi ed attitudinal characteristics that help a person deal with stress.
They studied busy and successful execu-
tives and identifi ed three characteristics they had in common:
1. Commitment: People feel invested in what they are doing.
They have energy for and are interested in their duties.
2. Control: People have the realistic sense that what they
are doing is in their realm of control; that is, they consider
themselves to be active participants in their work instead of
feeling hopeless and victimized by the work conditions.
This
is in contrast to developing learned helplessness.
3. Challenge: People view change as an opportunity to act
differently rather than as a crisis from which to defend
themselves.
These three C ’ s are the attitudes that can help you to stay healthy
despite having to deal with high levels of stress.