Intro
HARDINESS: Making Stress Work for You to Achieve Your Life Goals
Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1 Stress: What's All the Fuss?
Stress: It's Unavoidable
Bad Stress, Good Stress: How Knowing the Difference Can Help You Live Longer
People Are Resistant or Resilient to Stress
Your Body's Response to Stress
Fight or Flight: Our Immediate Response
Stress's Long-Term Effects on Health
Positive Ways to Handle Stress
Hardiness Can Make a Big Difference in How You Cope with Stress
Introducing the Three Cs
Hardiness and Commitment
Hardiness and Challenge
Hardiness and Control
Chapter 2 Commitment: Why Pursuing Purpose in Life Matters
What Is the Theory Behind Commitment?
What We Can Learn About Commitment from Prisoners of War
Surviving Post-traumatic Stress: Hardiness-Commitment Versus Short-Term Pleasures
Increasing Commitment in Your Life
Victor Frankl: Purpose, Commitment, and Meaning
The Role of Commitment in Success: Jim Carrey
What You Can Learn from Jim Carrey's Experience
When Commitment Leads to Calling: The Success Factor for Musicians
Chapter 3 Building Commitment
Take Time to Think About What Is Important and Interesting to You
Are You Plagued by the Work/Balance Conundrum?
Increase Your Skills and Competence in an Area That Is Important to You
Take Pride in Your Past Successes and Achievements
Remember the Good Things in Your Life, and Count Your Blessings
Spend Time with Family, Friends, and People You Care About
Pay Attention to What's Going On in the World Around You
Try Out New Things
Chapter 4 The Role of Hardiness-Challenge
A Tale of Two Accountants
How Challenge Prepares You for Change
Understanding Your Mindset
Expanding the Mindset Concept Beyond Abilities
Why Traditional Coping Methods Don't Always Work
Examining the "Work of Worrying" Theory
Stress Mindset Versus Hardiness-Challenge
How Can We Change Mindsets?
Physiological Differences as a Result of Your Mindset
Hardiness-Challenge and Madonna
Chapter 5 Building a Challenge Mindset
Changes Are Always an Opportunity to Learn and Get Better
Learning from Rejection
Believing in Yourself
Persevering in the Face of Hardships
Overcoming Negative Circumstances
Accepting Help from Others
Changing Directions
Just Keep Going
Do Not Live Every Day by a Rigid Schedule
Be Willing to Change Your Plans to Meet Changing Conditions
Whenever You Fail at Something, Ask: What Can I Learn from This?
Try Out New Things, Take Reasonable Risks
Imagine Future Positive Outcomes
Do Not Dwell on Past Disappointments: Learn, Forgive, and Look Ahead
Chapter 6 Understanding Hardiness-Control
Taking Control When Your Body Can't: Michael J. Fox
Managing Your Internal Drives
Planning an Orderly Future
Control: Too Much or Too Little
Managing Your Impulses