Growing up in a sports-minded family with three older athletic siblings meant not only watching the Super Bowl but many televised sporting events. I quickly learned that it wasn’t the sports events that held my interest, but rather the commercials which become a welcomed oasis. It was my time to talk, NOT allowed during the game, and my time to be entertained. My personal favorite, circa 1979, is the Hamm’s Bear straight from the land of sky blue waters (and ranked #5 by the NFL in their list of most inane Super Bowl commercials). Fast forward to modern day where there is no talking during commercials and conversation about their meaning IS allowed during thanks to Apple Computer’s breakthrough Super Bowl XVIII Ad 1984.
In fact, commercials are quite a hot topic. They offer a break in the action, motivation to purchase a product, or an emotional connection designed to cause us to reflect on our current way of being. They provide a push, a shove, or a jolt to consider a new way of moving forward.
In the late 1980’s two commercials filled the airways, and demonstrated just what I am talking about. In one, Jay Leno sings the praises of Dorito’s and the other shows two men clearly advocating Ruffles potato chips. Jay convinces us to go back to sleep after eating the whole bag of Doritos since there are plenty more where they came from, assuring the viewers more would be made tomorrow. The Ruffles ad shows two men alone in the frozen tundra. One man is holding a bag of chips and when the other one asks for just one chip, he refuses the request auguring that if he shares with him, he will have to share with everyone. The camera shot widens, showing that no other human is around.
Little did we know these two examples would serve as a test of our positivity. The deeper message beyond the obvious, are you a Dorito chip eater – willing to look at the positive side of things – or are you a Ruffles chip eater – unwilling to share with your colleagues and consider the human, collaborative approach that connects us with others?
The world of positive psychology has brought to light the importance of having a positive attitude, specifically a 3 to 1 positivity ratio is key for success. The ratio is defined as this: for every four thoughts, comments and actions, three need to be positive and one can be negative. According to the Psychological Bulletin 131, research involving over 200 studies of 275,000 people leads to the same 3 to 1 ratio. Even more impressive is that the research indicates that when holding this ratio, people command higher salaries and greater success in work, marriage, health, sociability, friendship, and creativity. And while positive thinking might not ensure everything you do is a win, being positive sure beats the alternative of seeing everything as a potential liability, threat, and/or fear.
I encourage you to analyze your attitude. Take one of the several positivity online quizzes to assess your positivity ratio. If you are falling below the 3 to 1 ratio, monitor your self-talk. If you find yourself judging your every move as stupid or the actions of the people around you as dumb, it is time to STOP and fill your mind with something else. Mark Waldman, an expert on the brain and communication, shares that repeating a single positive word over and over again can flush out negative statements. You can turn on over 1200 stress-reducing genes simply by repeating a single word for a few minutes a day. He explains that by gently repeating it for a few minutes, aloud or silently, Harvard researchers who measured the effects discovered unique genes that suppress stress neurochemicals are activated after eight weeks.
So think positive. Whether you’re a fan of the game of football or the entertaining commercials, there is something for everyone. I hope you enjoyed the Super Bowl and all of the breaks from the action, and mostly that you are doing a little reflection on the power of your attitude. Ask what you can do to keep your skills and talents as brilliant as possible and then repeat after me: I am Super Brilliant.