"Something as curious as the monarchy won't survive unless you take account of people's attitudes. After all, if people don't want it, they won't have it."
--- Prince Charles
Scott Tinley, one of the world's best triathletes of the 80s, once stated that the secret to his success was staying away from television and people with bad attitudes. It is easy to see how other people's attitudes can become infectious for a business --- either positively or negatively. The power of one's attitude is remarkable.
"Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new."
--- Og Mandino
The next time you are in a business or social setting, take notice of the power of people revealed simply in their attitudes. Notice how the room changes when someone with a strong, positive attitude enters or when someone who is always negative enters.
The good attitudes can change your business. This power can be harnessed and used constructively. It is up to you and your screening and interviewing process to capture those good attitudes and use them as an asset to your team.
"We are the creative force of our life, and through our own decisions rather than our conditions, if we carefully learn to do certain things, we can accomplish those goals."
--- Stephen Covey
Here is a secret (or reminder for some): Your attitude is being watched by your team members, by your customers, and by your family. The choice of attitude that you start the day with is entirely up to you. It takes practice, but you can change a bad attitude into a good one.
"Think not of yourself as the architect of your career but as the sculptor. Expect to have to do a lot of hard hammering and chiseling and scraping and polishing."
--- BC Forbes
The formation of your character is influenced by the attitude that you choose to have. On the way to work, traffic or inexperienced drivers can put dents into your attitude. When that happens, it is up to you to set things right in your mind before you cross the threshold of your business. You certainly have the power! Some of us just need the desire to make the necessary changes.
"Of all the things that can have an effect on your future, I believe personal growth is the greatest. We can talk about sales growth, profit growth, asset growth, but all of this probably will not happen without personal growth."
--- Jim Rohn
Keep in or add to your library some self-help books on the subject of attitude. It may seem out-of-date for some who believe that the "positive mental attitude" philosophy went the way of Ponzi schemes, but the true foundational principles are still used by successful business people today.
Also, read or listen to some books about Helen Keller or successful business people who made it on bootstrap budgets. These are always great to help change a negative attitude into one that encourages others and drives your business to new heights.
"My philosophy is that life is all about learning and growing, and that life can be a real adventure of learning, growing, compassion, and joyfulness."
--- John Mackey
