A little bit of attitude

Every day we’re faced with the decision about how to approach any given situation, in other words – our attitude. We express our attitude in our words and actions. Whether you’re a “glass half full” or a “glass half empty” type of person, we all have the ability to choose our own attitude.

The Macquarie Dictionary defines attitude as, “disposition or manner with regard to a person or thing, position of the body appropriate to an action, emotion etc.”

So Attitude is a mental state relative to what we believe and how it affects our entire lives. It’s quite easy to gauge whether a person likes or dislikes something or if they are annoyed or happy.

I also feel an attitude can become an habitual way of thinking, in that we can either lean towards an optimistic or pessimistic viewpoint. Attitudes are also greatly influenced by the people around you, which means your attitude is contagious. In other words you can actually change your attitude.

“The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.” William James

I’ve found one of the best ways to develop a positive mental attitude is to surround yourself with optimists. Positive people who work hard at attracting like-minded people around them. People that have developed a ‘can do’ attitude and a resilient nature to propel them forward.

You know I found that once you begin to condition your thinking, you will develop a positive mental attitude that will greatly accelerate your future success.

Charles Swindoll wrote a wonderful paragraph about attitude in his book, Strengthening Your Grip. “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company… a church … a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have and that is our attitude… I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you…we are in charge of our attitudes.”

We really do have a choice about our attitude. It’s so easy to complain about everything, be critical and complain about what happens to us. I’m the first one to admit it can be hard to have a positive attitude all the time.  But I do know from experience that with persistence one can change their attitude and look on the positive side. Just think how nice it would be to be another person who assists in spreading a happy attitude.

Create Your Own Future, Your Own Way

Written & Published by Philip E. Humbert, PhD
Visit Phillip’s  website at: http://www.philiphumbert.com

Two of my mentors, Thomas Leonard and Jim Rohn, focused on Personal Development. They believed that human beings have the power and the gift of “becoming.” But they addressed it in very different ways.

Thomas Leonard preferred to talk about Personal Evolution. He believed that our environment, culture and education impact us, and combined with internal factors like free will and personal choice, we “become” over time. Together, all these things actually change who we are, or at least in a practical sense they change how we think and act in the world.

Of course he was right, but I also think he was partially mistaken.

Jim Rohn preferred the term Personal Development, and I agree with him. Jim emphasized that life has a flow to it. I am in many ways, the same person I was 20 or even 40 years ago. My DNA hasn’t changed and to a remarkable degree, neither have my interests, my hobbies or my humour. Hopefully, I’m more mature, more skilled, and a bit wiser, but I haven’t “evolved” into a different person. I’m still the same guy I was back then, only now I inflict my mischief and hair-brained schemes on my long-suffering wife instead of my worried mother.

And yet, Thomas did have a point. If we aren’t evolving to a higher plane, if we aren’t living differently (and better!)than we did before, what’s the purpose? Over time, if we learn and grow and live with greater skill, greater wisdom and greater patience, it’s almost as if we truly do become someone new!

To me, that’s what Personal Development is all about. And yet I see many people who utterly fail at this essential task of adult life.

They either seem (to an outside observer) to change and grow very little, or their growth seems to be all over the place, with little direction, purpose or substance to it.

We all know people like this. Some haven’t read a serious book since they left school. They still spend their time on the same hobbies, have essentially the same friends (only the names have, perhaps, changed over time), and live about like they did twenty years ago. Their politics and spirituality and communication and depth of character haven’t changed. While they may or may not be “couch potatoes” in terms of fitness, as persons they have grown little since they became adults and “settled down.”

The second group has, indeed, changed but in random or chaotic ways. They are good at “starting over!” They eagerly jump on new interests, new business opportunities or move to a new community, hoping this “new start” will make things better. But their growth doesn’t seem to build from one level to another. There is little cumulative impact and little sense of direction or purpose or depth of character to their new interests. To me, this does not fulfil the promise of Personal Development over time.

But fortunately, there are those who plan and search and pursue the timeless fundamentals of character and maturity. There are those who set out to “get good” at their job, to become the best parent, spouse, lover, salesperson or
manager they can be. They read and they listen. They ask questions and consider new ideas, always in a search for timeless truths, strength of character, and long-term Personal Development. They absorb wisdom wherever they find it. Over time, they “become.”

To me, this is the core of Personal Development and it’s a skill, a task and a hobby I highly recommend. Human beings are the only creatures who can imagine themselves becoming something new and different than they are. We can imagine ourselves becoming stronger, learning new skills or living differently than we currently do. Take advantage of this! Imagine yourself in new ways! Then, develop a plan, take action and make it happen. You are in charge of your future.