When your world appears to be upside down, fear not. Summon the courage within yourself by seeking the truth of the fact that you can conquer any fear that’s keeping you from overcoming any adversity. –Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert
https://themastern.wpengine.com/greg-williams
“Fear, Trust, Courage, Truth”
The sky is falling, the sky is falling! The world is going to end. The sun won’t come out tomorrow.
Such sentiments are what you’ll hear or think when you’re not sure of what the future holds for you. Even when you look at such from a positive perspective, you may have some apprehension because you’re not 100% sure about the outcome you’re contemplating.
More than likely, that apprehension is stemming from fear, fear of the unknown, fear of uncertainty, and fear of your ability to deal with what might come your way. The last part of that, upon self-reflection may catch you off guard. That may be so because, in most cases we see ourselves as being capable of surviving circumstances that befall us. Thus, when we get knocked down, we pick ourselves up and begin to move forward again. That’s the source of life that motivates us to live life. That source allows us to continue and recover, even from the worse of circumstances.
That’s one reason why you have to watch the way you think. Sometimes your mind can betray you, which might promote thoughts that don’t serve you.
Truth be known, until you die, the sun will come up tomorrow and you’ll be there to greet it. So fret not when you’re bewildered by not being sure of which path of life you’re on. Put your trust in the process, knowing that whatever occurs to you does so to improve you. Have the courage to forge ahead when the road ahead appears to be blocked, knowing that you possess the fortitude to get through, around, over, or under that blockage. With that mindset, you will grow. If you have the courage to confront that which frightens you, you’ll discover that there wasn’t as much to fear as you first thought. You’ll discover, as someone once told me, fear is nothing more than False Expectations Appearing Real. The truth is what you make it. So make your truth about your abilities to always grow … and everything will be right with the world.
What does this have to do with negotiations?
In a negotiation, you can have the best of plans in place per how you’ll adapt to the flow of the negotiation, and if something occurs that you’d not accounted for, you may become fearful of what to do. Having the courage to trust yourself in the thought that something will be of benefit to you from the experience should allow you to ease your mind. That’s not to say that you should go blindly down the path of uncertainty; that’s to say, as you go down that path do so with confidence, knowing that you’ll be better for having done so. You still may not obtain the maximum benefits sought from the negotiation, but you will get some benefits. Just keep an open mind and know that the sun will come out tomorrow and the warmth of its rays will embolden you as you move towards your future.
Remember, you’re always negotiating!