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A few hours ago, basketball superstar Caitlin Clark shared bad news with fans across the globe: She wont be returning to basketball this season. Clark suffered a groin injury almost two months ago, shortly before the WNBA All Star Game. While she remained hopeful, and spent hours in the gym in an effort to return, the end decision was to pull back. Disappointed isnt a big enough word to describe how Im feeling, Clark wrote on Instagram. Clark then said the following: This has been incredibly frustrating, but even in the bad, there is good. The way the fans continued to show up for me, and for the Fever, brought me so much joy and important perspective. I am so proud of how this team has only gotten stronger through adversity this year. Even in the bad, there is good. With those seven words, Clark teaches an important lesson in emotional intelligence, the ability to understand and manage emotions. Specifically, this is an example of what is known in psychology as cognitive reframing. What is reframing, and why is it so valuable? Most important, how can you use it to your own benefit? Lets take a closer look at this powerful tool, see how Clark is using it, and analyze the takeaways for you. (Sign up here for my free email emotional intelligence course.) What is reframing? According to the American Psychological Association, to reframe is to reconceptualize a problem by seeing it from a different perspective. Altering the conceptual or emotional context of a problem often serves to alter perceptions of the problems difficulty and to open up possibilities for solving it, says the APA. Reframing is valuable because everyone suffers setbacks, sometimes significant ones. When you do, its easy to get caught in a flurry of negative thoughts and emotions. Not only can this adversely affect your mental health, it can also keep you from progressing. But reframing helps you control your thoughts, which, in turn, helps you manage your emotions. It helps you build resilience, the ability to fight through challenges, bounce back, and move forward. In her Instagram post, Clark used words like frustrating and disappointed. Feelings like this, if allowed to run wild, could cause Clark to give up on her rehab, at least temporarily. They might cause her to isolate herself from others. Or they could even cause her to rush her return, leading to an even more significant or permanent injury. Instead, by looking for the good in a bad situation, Clark reframes it. The way the fans continued to show up for me, and for the Fever, brought me so much joy and important perspective, Clark says. I am so proud of how this team has only gotten stronger through adversity this year. Reframing in this way helps Clark shift her perspective from frustration and disappointment to gratitude and joy. Instead of isolating herself, she strengthens the connections between herself and her team, and her fans. And instead of focusing on the present difficulty, she looks ahead. After all, if the Indiana Fever can make the playoffs without their key facilitator (and one of their best players), imagine how much stronger theyll be when she returns. How can you use reframing for your benefit? I know what you’re thinking: Reframing sounds easy. Anyone can do it. But heres the thing: We dont. In my experience working with leaders, I find that, while some tend to naturally reframe, many don’t. And even for those who do, there are always situations and circumstances that make it difficult for them to do so. The good news is, there are techniques to help you reframe when you need it most. One uses a tool I like to call the rule of reframing. The rule of reframing involves using questions to break the cycle of negative thoughts. If you suffer a major setback, ask yourself questions like: How serious is this? How will I feel about it in five weeks, five months, five years, or even 50 years? Although this situation is not ideal, what good things have come (or could come) out of the bad? What aspects of this situation are in my control? What aspects are out of my control? How can I focus on the former, and not the latter? How can I use the difficulty? Questions like these are helpful because, while you have little control over instinctive thoughts, you can control how long you dwell on those thoughts, and you have the ability to change those thoughts. In doing so, youll also manage your emotions. So, the next time you suffer a setback, take a page out of Caitlin Clarks playbook and remind yourself: Even in the bad, there is good. Because setbacks dont mean failure. Sometimes, they can even lead to bigger and better things. By Justin Bariso This article originally appeared on Fast Company‘s sister publication, Inc. Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy.
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The dust has barely settled on the Paramount Skydance merger but the newly merged media company reportedly has another merger in its sights. The David Ellison-led company reportedly wants to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, which itself is currently in the process of breaking itself up into smaller media companies. Heres what you need to know about reports of a Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery merger, including the prominent media properties Paramount Skydance would own if the deal went through. Whats happened? Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Paramount Skydance was preparing a bid to buy its rival Warner Bros. Discovery, citing anonymous sources. CNBC and other outlets also reported the rumored plan. The deal, according to WSJ, would be a majority all-cash one that would bid for the entirety of Warner Bros. Discovery, including its famed movie studio and its myriad cable networks. It would also include the HBO Max streaming service. Fast Company has reached out to Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Skydance for comment. If the deal were to be approved by Warner Bros. Discovery and its shareholders, it would make the combined media giants one of the largest entities ever in the U.S. media space. It would also come at a time when the media landscape continues to go through massive shifts as streaming continues its disruption of both the cable and network television landscape and Hollywood and the movie theater experience. The consolidation of the two companies would also, somewhat ironically, stymie Warner Bros. Discovery’s stated efforts to de-consolidate itself, and thus the industry. In 2022, WarnerMedia and Discovery merged, but by 2024, the newly formed Warner Bros. Discovery announced plans to uncouple many of the companys assets. A merger between Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Skydance would put an end to that decoupling, as Paramount Skydance is reportedly set to acquire all of Warner Bros. Discoverys current assets. A ticking clock However, any such merger deal would be under a ticking clock. Thats because Warner Bros. Discovery has said that it expects to split itself into two publicly traded companies by April 2026, just eight months from now. Warner Bros. Discovery intends to separate its media assets by siloing its streaming and Hollywood studio divisions into a new Streaming & Studios company and putting its cable networks into another Global Networks company. By operating as two distinct and optimized companies in the future, we are empowering these iconic brands with the sharper focus and strategic flexibility they need to compete most effectively in todays evolving media landscape, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said in a June announcement. Paramount Skydance is led by CEO David Ellison, son of tech billionaire Larry Ellison, who reportedly wants all of Warner Bros. Discovery. Of course, even if Paramount Skydance manages to convince Warner Bros. Discovery and its investors to stop the split and instead sell, there is no guarantee the merger would go through. Federal regulators would likely have deep concerns over the merger and the consolidation of two of the biggest media companies in the world. What IP and assets would a combined Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery own? If the merger were to go through, the newly merged Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery would own many of the most high-profile, well-known television and film assets in the world. These include those currently owned by Paramount Skydance, which include: Paramount Pictures Paramount Television Studios Nickelodeon Movies Paramount+ Pluto TV BET CBS CBS Studios CBS News Comedy Central Nickelodeon Showtime VH1 Additionally, the newly formed company would own all of Warner Bros. Discoverys assets, which include: Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Bros. Television Studios Warner Bros. Home Entertainment DC Studios Turner Entertainment Co. Turner Classic Movies New Line Cinema Animal Planet Cartoon Network HBO HBO Max Cinemax CNN Discovery Channel Travel Channel TBS TNT TNT Sports Warner Bros. Theme Parks Warner Bros. Games DC Comics How have the stock prices of both companies reacted to the news? Very well. When news of Paramount Skydances interest in Warner Bros. Discovery broke yesterday, each companys stock price soared. Shares in Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: WBD) closed nearly 29% higher yesterday. Today, WBD shares are up another 8% to $17.52 as of the time of this writing. Shares in Paramount Skydance Corporation (Nasdaq: PSKY) closed more than 15.5% higher yesterday on the news. Currently, PSKY shares are up another $5.3% to around $18.40 per share today. At today’s stock prices, Warner Bros. Discovery is worth around $43 billion, and Paramount Skydance is worth around $20 billion. It is unknown how much Paramount Skydance would offer for Warner Bros. Discovery.
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If nothing brings you more joy than curling up on the couch and binging a new series, theres good news. While it may feel like the ultimate guilty pleasure, new research suggests binge-watching TV could actually benefit your brain. In the U.S., people stream an average of 21 hours of digital media each week. Platforms like Hulu, Netflix, and HBO make it easy to get pulled into a marathon, releasing entire seasons at once and ending episodes on irresistible cliffhangers. But if youre worried all that screen time is frying your brain, a new study from the University of Georgia suggests otherwise. Researchers found that when people watch or read stories in long, uninterrupted stretches, it can help them recover from daily stressors. That’s because binge-watchers often revisit stories afterward in their thoughts, engaging through daydreams, imagination, and fantasy. Researchers call this retrospective imaginative involvement. Binge reading showed similar, though slightly smaller, effects. People who have that habit of binge-watching shows often arent doing it passively but are actually actively thinking about it afterwards, said Joshua Baldwin, lead author of the study published in Acta Psychologica and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Georgia, in a statement. Theyre very much wanting to engage with stories, even when theyre not around to watch shows. By dwelling on those satisfying story elements, it offers a way to cope with daily stressors and increase well-being. Baldwin explained that humans are wired for stories. Narratives, he said, serve an important role in meeting our needs, whether its the drive to connect with others, feel independent and capable, or find a sense of comfort and security. Stories have characters that fulfill these roles, and we can satisfy those needs through them, he said. No wonder 73% of people surveyed by Netflix reported having positive feelings after a binge. The research suggests that tearing through a book in one sitting or staying up until 2 a.m. to finish a season could be more rewarding than stretching it out with a chapter or an episode a night. Of course, its not all upside. Theres a lot of debate over whether or not media is a good or bad thing, but its always nuanced argument, said Baldwin. Binge-watching has been linked to poorer sleep, and the post-binge-watching blues after finishing a great series can leave some viewers deflated It always depends on the content itself, why people are watching it, the psychological background of the individual and the context, he added. Still, the next time Netflix asks if youre still watching five hours in, dont feel guilty for clicking yes.
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