What’s Your Survival IQ?

How does one survive in these calamitous times — dire economic indicators with every news broadcast, crisis and uncertainty around every corner?

Why do some people make it through adversity —the loss of a job or home and worse — and seem better for the experience, while others simply fall under the stress?

According to author Ben Sherwood in a current Newsweek article, “attitude and behavior determine nine-tenths of what happens in your life.” (“What It Takes to Survive,” www.newsweek.com/id/181290.)



“Everyone has a crisis personality — a survival IQ,” a strength they marshal in moments of adversity, writes Sherwood. This survival personality is a “mindset and ways of thinking about a situation. The best survivors and thrivers understand that crisis is inevitable and they anticipate adversity.”

Four Traits of Survivors — the 'Lucky' People

Sherwood recounts the work of David Wiseman, a professor of psychology at England’s University of Hertfordshire and author of The Luck Factor. Based on a decade of research, Wiseman concludes there are four reasons good things happen to certain people — four traits of “lucky” people who have the best chance of surviving unexpected disasters and crises:

* Lucky people are more open and receptive to unexpected opportunities. They’re relaxed about life, more social, maintaining a network of friends and supporters.
* Lucky people listen to their hunches and make good decisions intuitively, without even knowing why.
* Lucky people persevere in the face of failure and have an “uncanny knack for making their wishes come true. They’re convinced life’s most unpredictable events will consistently work out for them.” They are optimistic — glass-half-full kind of people.
* Lucky people have an ability to turn bad luck into good fortune, the most important factor in survival.

Sherwood concludes no single survival theory applies to every situation. Devastating events outside our control occur. However, survival isn’t totally out of our hands. Mindset makes difference. “Take care of yourself, pay attention to your surroundings, and even count the rows to the emergency exit on an airplane. You can make your own luck in the worst situations,” advises Sherwood.

Proactive, Prepared, & Aware

In other words, be proactive, prepared, and aware — all traits Automotive Fleet’s top editor and industry authority Mike Antich has observed often about successful fleet managers, and does so once again in his Market Trends column in the upcoming AF February issue:

“Exemplary fleet managers are being proactive and anticipating the changes in their corporate environment. In this tumultuous economic environment, fleet managers are saving companies millions of dollars by implementing the right policies and selecting the right vehicles and suppliers.”

Are you one of the “lucky ones?”

(Newsweek offers a test to determine your own Survival IQ at www.clearspring.com/widgets/49663ddbe1f1df02.)





A Moment to Mark: Cheers for Lilly Ledbetter whose 10-year battle to secure equal pay for equal work was vindicated this week when President Obama signed into law the Fair Pay Act. Women across this country, our daughters, granddaughters, and generations to come owe Lilly our deepest gratitude.


Source: automotive-fleet.com