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DEVELOPING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE 19

objectiveness.

Do you think others would describe you as predicting negative outcomes for
events or interactions in the future – foreshadowing? Are you someone who

continually plays out negative scenarios in your head? The key to breaking

this habit lies in your ability to develop your analysis and objectivity so that
you can assign a probability to the various outcomes.

Foreshadowing has nothing to do with being aware of real risks and taking

steps to mitigate them, but stems from fear, which in turn leads to irrational
thoughts. If you are not careful it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy as it

undermines your self-confidence, which can have a negative impact on how

you come across to others and on your own productivity.

Breaking such a pattern can be difficult because it tends to be a lifelong

habit. One way to do this is to make yourself view a positive outcome to
every situation and not just accept your more habitual doom and gloom

outcome to be the only one you act on.

Behaviors that feed your negative emotions:

over-influenced by others

foreshadowing

dwelling on isolated events

criticism & blame

thinking in absolutes

focus on or expect negative feedback

take on too much responsibility

You also need to look at why you feel failure is the mostly likely result. Is it
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