How can positive psychology interventions help entrepreneurs transition from a corporate career?

1 Identify your strengths

One of the key aspects of positive psychology is the concept of character strengths, which are positive traits that reflect your core values and virtues. Examples of character strengths are creativity, curiosity, courage, honesty, and zest. By identifying and using your strengths, you can boost your self-esteem, performance, and satisfaction. You can take a free online assessment called VIA Survey to discover your top strengths and how to apply them to your goals. For instance, if you have a strength of curiosity, you can use it to explore new opportunities, learn new skills, and seek feedback.

2 Cultivate a growth mindset

Another important factor that can influence your transition is your mindset, or the way you perceive your abilities and potential. According to psychologist Carol Dweck, there are two types of mindsets: fixed and growth. A fixed mindset assumes that your talents and intelligence are fixed and cannot be changed, while a growth mindset believes that you can improve and learn from challenges and feedback. A growth mindset is more conducive to entrepreneurship, as it helps you embrace uncertainty, cope with setbacks, and seek improvement. You can develop a growth mindset by reframing negative thoughts, praising your efforts rather than your outcomes, and viewing failures as opportunities.

3 Practice gratitude

Gratitude is the feeling of appreciation and thankfulness for what you have and what you experience. It is one of the most powerful positive emotions, as it can enhance your well-being, happiness, and optimism. It can also help you cope with stress, reduce negative emotions, and increase your social support. You can practice gratitude by keeping a gratitude journal, writing thank-you notes, expressing gratitude to others, or meditating on what you are grateful for. By doing so, you can increase your awareness of the positive aspects of your life and career, and reduce the impact of the negative ones.

5 Seek social support

Transitioning from a corporate career to entrepreneurship can be a lonely and stressful process. That is why you need to seek social support from people who can understand, encourage, and help you along the way. You can find social support from various sources, such as your family, friends, mentors, coaches, or peers. You can also join online or offline communities, networks, or groups that are related to your field, industry, or interest. By seeking social support, you can reduce your isolation, increase your confidence, and gain valuable insights and resources.

6 Engage in self-care

Finally, you need to take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally, especially when you are facing a major change in your life and career. Self-care is the act of doing things that nourish your body, mind, and soul, and it can vary from person to person. Some examples of self-care activities are exercising, meditating, sleeping, eating well, reading, listening to music, or spending time in nature. By engaging in self-care, you can enhance your well-being, energy, and productivity, and prevent burnout, anxiety, and depression.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?