As a coach I have a lot of resilience tools at my disposal. One of my go-tos is the Explanatory Style for Resilience tool.
A couple of years ago I was training for the Tarawera 52km Ultramarathon. Things were going great until, in December, I tore my hamstring. I couldn’t believe it — especially because I tore it during an easy 10km recovery run. Once it happened, I stopped, walked back to the car, and immediately started treating it. I had a couple of weeks in the bag and felt confident I could get back on track. Here’s a short video of my mindset when it occurred.
Two weeks later, it happened again. This was it, I’d have to pull out of the event. I was gutted. However, not wanting to be down and out for the entire summer, I started to rehab it again… and this time I tore my other hamstring, and badly too! I was distraught. Was this the end for me? Had my years finally caught up with me? I went into a dark space for a couple of weeks … needless to say, I didn’t feel like sharing my thoughts on video.
That’s the thing about dark spaces, they can creep up on us without us being fully aware until we’re in the doldrums. It can be hard to pull ourselves out of it. I knew it wasn’t going to happen by itself, and I knew what I had to do. I had to create a space to hear my thoughts. Our thoughts are sneaky little buggers; they swirl around in the background, affecting our moods and motivations and it’s really important to take some time to listen to them. So that’s what I did. I went for a walk in the hills and listened.
Then it hit me. I started to recognise the type of thoughts I was having. I was thinking things like, “You’ll NEVER be able to run again”, “Your body is broken after all the years of abuse — there’s no coming back from this”, and “You’re just too old to do the things you used to do.” As soon as I recognised my style of thinking, I was able to do something about it. I turned to the Explanatory Style model.
How to Use Your Explanatory Style for Resilience and Growth
Our explanatory style for resilience is basically the lens through which we explain the good and bad things that happen in our lives. It’s the running commentary in our heads that shapes how we interpret setbacks, successes, and everything in between. Psychologists often break it down using the “3 Ps”: Personal, Permanent, and Pervasive. These three dimensions help us understand whether someone tends to lean towards a more optimistic or pessimistic style.
Personal – “Is it about me or something else?”
People with a pessimistic explanatory style tend to take things very personally. If something goes wrong, they assume it’s their fault. For example: “I messed up that presentation because I’m terrible at public speaking.”
An optimistic style, on the other hand, looks outward. It doesn’t dodge responsibility, but it recognises that not everything is a personal failing. For example: “That presentation didn’t land because the brief changed last minute and I didn’t have time to adjust.” It’s important to recognise the difference between taking everything personally versus being accountable.
Permanent – “Is this forever or temporary?”
Pessimistic thinkers often see problems as lasting indefinitely. A setback becomes a life sentence. For example: “I’ll never get better at managing my workload.”
Optimistic thinkers see difficulties as temporary and workable. They assume things can improve with effort or different conditions. For example: “This week was chaotic, but once I get my system sorted, it’ll be easier.”
Pervasive – “Does this affect everything or just this one thing?”
A pessimistic style tends to generalise. One bad moment spills into every area. For example: “If I can’t keep up with emails, I’m probably failing at everything.”
Optimistic thinkers keep things in their proper box. A challenge in one area doesn’t contaminate the rest of life. For example: “Emails were a nightmare today, but the client meeting went well and the rest of the week is on track.”
In practice, an explanatory style shapes resilience, confidence, and how quickly we bounce back from stress. It’s not about pretending everything is fine or ignoring real problems. It’s about choosing interpretations that keep us resourceful rather than defeated. The optimistic style tends to support motivation and problem‑solving, while the pessimistic style can drain energy and narrow our options.
The good news is that an explanatory style isn’t fixed. With awareness and practice, people can shift their thinking — challenging the 3 Ps when they show up in unhelpful ways and building a more balanced, constructive inner narrative. This is exactly what I did. I rationalised that if I got expert help for my hamstring, there’s no reason I couldn’t remain fit and compete in future events. In fact, this simple yet powerful shift in thinking turned around my mood and motivation in an instant! I recognised I was taking on too much and created this video during that walk (there’s an important lesson in here about goal setting too).
What steps did I take? I found an excellent physiotherapist and hired a personal trainer who assessed where my weak spots were and designed a programme to get me back on track.
Does the simple act of changing your explanatory style work? Well, yes! Last month I completed the same ultramarathon I had to pull out of twice previously … and I continue to train injury‑free.
Are you interested in tools for building a high performing team? Then check out my new book ‘Now, Lead Others’.
If you’re interested in hearing more tips about how you can Unleash Your Potential or that of your team, please feel free to drop me a note. I’m always happy to share ideas and help where I can.
