Anger Is Sabotaging Your Business Success

The angry mindset is not one that describes the occasional angry outburst or yelling episode. No, this mindset occurs when your general reaction to most things in your life is anger and angry behaviors. 

An angry mindset usually indicates you are hiding from or coping with some deeper emotions and learning to control your anger and live with a more positive mindset can transform your life for the better. 

Understanding The Angry Mindset

There are generally three triggers that commonly evoke angry behaviors in those with this mindset. The first is when your sense of justice or fairness has been wronged. In these instances, you may hear yourself reacting in frustration or rage when you perceive that someone else was able to “get away” with something or that they are acting in ways they are not entitled to behave. 

It is also common to react angrily when what you need or want to do is being slowed or stopped by someone else. Road rage is an extreme example of this type of angry mindset reaction. The other most common reason you may become angry or feel angry often is that you perceive that things are not happening in the way the “should.” Reality is not meeting your expectations, so you react with anger. 

Becoming angry at trivial or important things in life has its drawbacks. You persist in your angry mindset because it gets you what you want, either by motivating you to take action or by intimidating others with your rage. But, beyond this stimulus/response relationship, your angry mindset is also harming your mental, emotional, and physical health. 

Being angry is a form of stress and living in a chronic state of anger can cause cardiovascular damage, raise your blood pressure, and lead to other physical problems. When you are angry, you are more likely to do risky things, like driving too quickly or drinking, which can also cause harm to you and others.

Anger has a severe impact on your relationships with others. When your partner, children, and friends don’t know how you’ll react to things, they may become reluctant to spend time with you. When you are angry all the time, you drive people away, as they don’t want to spend time around someone in this mindset. 

The emotional toll on you for feeling angry all the time is also large. You stop being able to enjoy your life and live in the present, as you are always worried about past injustices or the possible threat from others. A well-known saying sums up the emotional cost of the angry mindset. “Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” Anger harms you far more than anyone else. 

How To Overcome The Angry Mindset 

Stress tends to make it easier to fly off the handle and give into angry thoughts. Lowering your overall stress level, through exercise, meditation, healthy eating, and mindfulness exercises, can help you feel less stressed and more able to cope with your anger issues. 

Become aware of what makes you angry. Listen to your self-talk and pay attention to that triggers you as well as how you respond to those triggers. This can help you avoid situations that invoke anger, diffuse angry thoughts when they emerge, and stay in touch with your anger. 

Recognize the impact that your angry behavior has on you and others. Is it helping you (or anyone else) for you to get angry and create a scene? What benefit will come from your fuming over this incident for the remainder of your day? 

Turn your angry thoughts toward something more positive. Instead of focusing on the jerk in line in front of you, listen to your favorite song or think about your plans for tonight with your family. Turn your attention away from the situation causing you anger toward something more pleasant. 

Learn to practice mindful breathing, which can lower your stress and diffuse angry outbursts. Practice relaxation techniques whenever you start to feel anger creeping in to keep your emotions under control. 

When you chronically respond to life and people with anger, you are giving in to a negative mindset that is preventing you from achieving your dreams. An angry mindset means you are focusing more on what is wrong in life than what is right and good. Learning to control your anger will put you back in control of your life, allow you to use your logic and reasoning to attain your goals, and bring you closer to those you love. 

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