In John Maxwell’s book Today Matters he writes “is it possible for an individual to have success without a good attitude? The answer is yes, but their attitude will determine how much they enjoy their success.” Do you need an attitude check? Negativity will only drag you down and cause you to focus on the bad and never on the good in life. Have you ever noticed that positive people go farther in life? What is their secret?
Start Your Day Off Right – Each and every day should be started with positive thoughts or activities. This may be quite time, exercising, playing with your children, organizing your daily to do list – whatever allows you to begin your day in a positive frame of mind. If you begin your day by complaining about all that you have to get done, you are starting off on the wrong foot. If you get up too late and are behind before you start, it is hard to maintain a positive outlook.
Jump Start Your Day - It may be helpful to get a head start the night before – to ensure you will have a positive start to the day. For example, make a list of what needs to be done the next day before you leave your office. That way, you are mentally prepared for what needs to be accomplished as soon as you sit down are not at the mercy of the “hottest fire”.
Adjust Often – Learn to adjust your expectations and attitude often throughout the day. Undoubtedly something will come up that you didn’t account for and will put a wrinkle in your plans. We all need to roll with the punches. If we don’t our attitude and productivity can sour quickly. If, early in the day, you become frustrated because something didn’t go exactly as you planned, you will taint the remainder of your day and reduce how productive you can be.
Opportunity Knocks – Look forward to new projects. They should be viewed as an opportunity to learn and to grow. Maxwell says, “When you approach a task – especially an important one you don’t relish – fix your mind on the facts, not on your feelings. Focus on the possibilities, not the problems. That will put your attitude on the right track. And if it starts on the right track, it’s more likely to end up at the right destination.”
Positive Energy is Contagious – Others will feed off of your positive attitude. Your clients will catch it! Your staff will catch it! You will be amazed by the amount of work you will accomplish with an entire team of positive people. Maxwell says, “Pessimists usually get what they expect. So do optimists. Believing in every situation increases your chances of success.”
Use Positive Language – Choose your words carefully. Words like can’t, don’t, or never can set the wrong tone for a conversation. Positive words breed positive attitudes in you and those around you.
Laugh More – Have you ever been able to be negative when you are laughing? It is very difficult. There are moments in life that you will need to be serious, but often laughter will defuse a situation and will lighten your attitude. Learn to laugh at yourself! “Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not, and a sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is.”~ Unknown
When you wake up in the morning you have a choice – either choose to be positive or choose to be negative. “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude. ~ Thomas Jefferson. Be positively positive and enjoy your success!