Highly acclaimed author, speaker and philosopher Zig Ziglar once said, “It’s your attitude… not your aptitude… that defines your altitude.”
In today’s world, a positive, upbeat attitude is a vital asset that ultimately leads to both physical and mental health, resilience and in many cases longevity.
Dating as far back as 1937, author Napoleon Hill in his book “Think And Grow Rich,” discussed how a positive mental attitude (he called it “PMA”) can be a major contributing factor to success. He profoundly wrote, “The way to happiness… keep your heart free from hate and your mind free from worry. Live simply, expect little, give much, scatter sunshine, forget self and think of others. Try this for a week and you will be pleasantly surprised.
Having been blessed to have been surrounded by many positive thinkers… in business, in the arts, in sports and in literature… I worked to accumulate a handful of common traits I found in each of these positive forces in my life. Not in rank order of importance (they are all important), here’s my list.
- Avoid pessimism. We’ve all heard the question about whether the glass is “half-full” or “half-empty?” Look at the world in an optimistic, positive manner. Keep negativism out of your playbook.
- Build an attitude of gratitude. Make thanking those around you part of your personal DNA. Show gratitude and be grateful as often as you can. It will help make you a positive person.
- Be a “dood Deed Do-er.” Do something good for others. Make a positive comment, cite another’s good decision, pitch in and help those around you. You’ll feel great and emote positivism.
- Master creative visualization. Work hard at creating positive mental images of your success or achievement before you try your hand at an activity. The more you creatively imagine your success the more likely it will happen.
- Laugh, smile and laugh again. Sadly, the world is full of negativity. Don’t you be a part of this negative, debilitating movement. Laugh, smile, hang around with positive, funny or fun-filled people.
- Celebrate you and Your Uniqueness. Instead of sending out “Happy New Year” cards in December, I’ve developed the healthy habit of sending out cards that say “Happy YOU Year!” Think about your assets and attributes. Think about the “good” of you. It has been said, “Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.” Be yourself and celebrate yourself.
- Improve, grow and progress. Self-reflection is a valuable tool for your growth. “When you’re through learning, you’re through…” Obsess with new learning… even re-learning. Find a few things you KNOW you can be better at and work hard to improve. That will make you a more positive person.
- Avoid negative language and dialogue. Think before you speak. Edit yourself and work hard to avoid negative language, phrases and harsh criticism. Avoid negative, unsettling dialogue. Call a “time out” and move on. Life is too short to spend significant time engaging in negative, argumentative conversation.
- Find new experiences. Seek new learning. It’s amazing how one can develop a positive outlook on life by traveling to new places or experiencing new adventures. Keep experiencing. Keep learning. You’ll naturally build positivism.
Seek the Three P’s of Positivism
- Pleasure
- Purpose
- Pride
Surround yourself with positive people that truly bring happiness and pleasure to your life. Make sure all you do is purposeful and has meaning in your life. Have pride in “who” you are and “what” you do and stand for.
As a longtime sports coach on many levels, I’ve often said that I would pass on a superstar player with a poor attitude in favor of an average athlete with a great, positive attitude.
Baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs said, “A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results.”
Legendary statesman and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill wrote, The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.”
Focus on “opportunites” not “obstacles.” Be positive.
Columnist and Acworth, GA. resident, Ira Blumenthal, is a business consultant, a best selling author, a globally renowned speaker and former college Lacrosse coach. Learn more about Ira and his book,YOUR BEST IS NEXT, at www.iraspeak.com. You can follow Ira on instagram @irajblumenthal. Look for his latest book on Amazon.
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