When you perceive a job challenge as a threat, thinking capacity narrows and confirmation bias reinforces the story the mind generates. To slow the process and expand your perspective, study your thoughts through the following four frames. Take the time to capture your thoughts by writing or recording them to more objectively analyze them.
Frame one: See your story more fully
Take a few minutes and think about what story you are telling yourself about this job role right now.
Then step back as an observer and replay the story. As you do, annotate it. What reactions do you see? What emotions are arising? What fears might be underneath? What protective impulses are in motion, such as fight, flight, freeze, appease, shutdown, or numb? Analyzing how your system reacts slows the runaway train.
Frame two: What else is possible?
Then consider what else could be happening in your personal life or with your boss or coworkers and generate as many different answers as you can. Think through what else in the broader context (economy, industry, organization) could be contributing to this job challenge. How could your story be wrong or incomplete? How could your own behavior contribute to this job challenge?
Frame three: What has worked/not worked in the past?
Reflect on challenging job roles you navigated through before and record: What strengths helped you then and how might they help now? What mistakes might you have made and how can you avoid them in your current situation? What is new in this situation that you need to explore further?
Frame four: What do you care most about?
Finally consider and document: What outcomes do you care most about for yourself and the people and world around you (in your current role, and for the future you desire)?