"If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude." – Maya Angelou
We are in the midst of some very interesting and challenging times that carry with them some chaos and uncertainty. Our individual frustration is further compounded by the belief system that "… there is nothing I can do about it." This is where I believe that Ms. Angelou hit the nail on the head. These universal issues are tough to change by one individual. However, if you can’t change it, then change your attitude.
Learn to embrace the changes and do so by changing your attitude toward them. Highly successful people exhibit an impeccable attitude of positive behavior, and they do not let anything stand in their way – circumstances they control or circumstances beyond their control. Attitude is a state of mind, and if you are focusing your life on the negative you will experience negative results. Focusing your attitude on the positive will naturally force you to take positive action, and positive action will lead to far better outcomes.
Your attitude plays a role in everything that you do.
Here are 10 questions that, if answered honestly, will denote whether your actions reflect an attitude of a highly successful individual, or if your actions represent the doom and gloom of your local news anchor, the neighborhood pessimist, or an unsuccessful business owner.
Take a moment and address each statement with 1 of the following answers:
– No, I do not do this;
– Sometimes I do;
– Sometimes I don’t; or
– Yes, I do this consistently.
1. I take full responsibility for how my day turns out.
2. I am confident that I can succeed at whatever I do as long as I simply take the right actions.
3. I spend time visualizing tremendously rewarding success instead of picturing failure.
4. I maintain a positive expectation of every action I take.
5. I look for the best in every situation and the opportunity in every problem.
6. I focus more of my time on seeking solutions rather than staying absorbed in the problem.
7. I see myself as someone who is capable, enthusiastic, and committed.
8. I speak in a positive, powerful, and uplifting manner.
9. I persist with passion until I succeed at whatever I do.
10. I embrace change and love to learn and grow from new ideas and experiences.
If you answered yes to every one of the 10 statements, congratulations, you are a highly successful person that exhibits an impeccable attitude of positive behavior and success! However, if you had to answer just 1 question with "Sometimes" or "No", then you have room to grow, work, and develop. This will shock no one. Change is here to stay. The things that are changing around us today will be fixed, repaired, modified, and replaced by other changes in the future. The only thing that is guaranteed is change will continue to accelerate and come at us faster and faster. However, the key to successfully navigating change is determining the focus of your attitude! The attitude of choice is yours, so choose wisely!