Attitude

“Attitudes are nothing more than habits of thoughts, and habits can be acquired. An action repeated becomes an attitude realized.” ~~Paul Myer~~

I observed a phenomenal training session* yesterday where participants were asked to examine not only how they speak, but also how they listen to information. There was a fascinating exercise where after learning about two basic patterns of reasoning the participants needed to identify not only which pattern they thought they responded best to, but which pattern they thought their team members would respond best to. As an observer, (and the HR Consultant for the organization receiving the training) I noticed a very real phenomenon. Each person’s attitude towards another team member significantly affected how they assumed that person wanted to hear/receive information. This may seem obvious, but think about the implications… If you dislike someone, or if you think they’re a pessimist, or a bully… this significantly sways how you deliver information to them, and could very well create a self-fulfilling prophecy. You could in effect be hurting yourself, or preventing yourself from getting what you need from the person with whom you are communicating…

What if, on the contrary, you went into every conversation, every interaction, with a positive attitude? How much more effective do you think you could be?


*A very heartfelt “thank you” to Tori Aiello and The Speech Improvement Company, Inc. for their generosity, time and commitment to excellence.

Preparation

“In the future, instead of striving to be right at a high cost, it will be more appropriate to be flexible and plural at a lower cost. If you cannot accurately predict the future then you must flexibly be prepared to deal with various possible futures.” ~~Edward de Bono~~

This may be the best quote ever! Well, OK, maybe not, but so relevant for me today on so many levels.

1. How important is it to be right? Is it worth being angry? Is it worth a fight? Is it worth losing a friendship? Is it worth wasting time and energy that could somehow otherwise be spent? Maybe, maybe not… I guess it depends on what you’re hell-bent on being right about…

2. How important is it to be prepared? How much time should you spend preparing vs. actually doing? What if you spend an enormous amount of time preparing for something that doesn’t happen? Alternatively, what if you spend no time at all preparing for something that does happen?

Maybe what’s most important is to be flexible… Fight for what you know is right when it’s really worth fighting for. Prepare for what you can, and then let it go. But, be prepared to present yourself in the best way you know how. At some point it will benefit you, even if that point is not exactly how you pictured it.

“I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on them unless they act.” ~~G. K. Chesterton

Motivation

“The world always looks brighter from behind a smile.” ~~Author Unknown~~

I’m still reading BLINK by Malcolm Gladwell (sorry, not a lot of free time around here!) and continue to be fascinated! It turns out that studies have shown that your facial expressions can actually change your emotions! Seriously! Apparently your facial expressions, even when you make them on purpose, cause significant changes to you autonomic nervous system! So, my whole thing about “fake it ‘til you make it”, or “put a smile on your face…” really DO have validity! I am so excited!

So, go ahead, SMILE! I dare you!

Attitude and Action

“Action is the antidote to despair.” ~~Joan Baez~~

Taking action, stay positive. Procrastinate, stress. Hmmmmm… Seems like an obvious choice. GO GET ‘EM! I'm off to work!

Preparation

"Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work." ~~Stephen King~~

Fall is definitely in the air here this morning. While it is supposed to up to a high of 72, it was 57 when we woke up. I love this weather. I find it invigorating. It’s also the beginning of a New Year according to the Hebrew Calendar, so I feel like (just like in January) it’s time to make a fresh start. We also had a personal family scare this weekend… which I am very happy to say seems to all be OK now… but definitely reminded me that life is both precious, and short. I woke up this morning with a determination I feel I’ve been missing for the last few weeks. It’s nice to be back on track. Preparation, Focus, Hard Work and Determination; I’m ready to conquer anything!

Whatever your reason; make a great new start!

Motivation

“Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.” ~~Malcolm S. Forbes~~

Your circumstances do not define you. Employed; in transition; executive; entrepreneur: these are all just circumstances. Titles are meaningless. It’s what you do that counts. Be proud of who you are, believe in what you can do, and make it count.

Goals

“To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there.” ~~Kofi Annan~~

Choice. It’s really quite the concept. You have the power to choose and your choices will absolutely affect the outcomes you face. And then you have the choice again on how to face those outcomes… OK. Too deep, even for me. The point is that even making a choice not to choose is choosing something… so keep your goals in mind, reflect on where it is you are headed and what you’re trying to achieve, and choose wisely. Every choice is a meaningful one.

Attitude

“But what minutes! Count them by sensation, and not by calendars, and each moment is a day.” ~~Benjamin Disraeli~~

A little time off is good for the body and the soul, not to mention the attitude!** Sometimes “taking a break from all your worries” really does help a lot. (Credit: “Cheers “theme song). Sometimes, even just walking away from the computer for 20 minutes, or going to the gym really can help you change your attitude and ultimately get back on track.

Sometimes it feels like there is just so much to do and accomplishment feels so far away that it seems irresponsible to take time off. So, in case you need it, here’s your permission slip. If the time you’re taking off is to take care of yourself such that when you return you are rejuvenated and can accomplish even more, then I say, GO FOR IT! It will all still be here tomorrow, so enjoy the moment!

“Time is an equal opportunity employer. Each human being has exactly the same number of hours and minutes every day. Rich people can't buy more hours. Scientists can't invent new minutes. And you can't save time to spend it on another day. Even so, time is amazingly fair and forgiving. No matter how much time you've wasted in the past, you still have an entire tomorrow.” ~Denis Waitely

**A note of special thanks to my friends and family who made my recent mini-vacation possible!

Motivation

“Sometimes it's important to work for that pot of gold. But other times it's essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow.” ~Douglas Pagels, These Are the Gifts I'd Like to Give to You~

Celebrating Labor Day (weekend) a bit early… Here’s to you! May the fruits of your labor bear much success.

“Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.” ~Ovid

Goals

“The major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes of you to accomplish it. What it makes of you will always be the far greater value than what you get.” ~~Jim Rohn~~

Who I become, not where I go, is the important part of my journey. Hmmm… I may quote myself on that one!

Attitude

“Reach for the stars, even if you have to stand on a cactus.” ~~Susan Longacre~~

Sometimes you have to give a little to get a lot. Sometimes you don’t know what good will come out of things and you just need to take a leap of faith. Sometimes the path to success is a little rocky and doesn’t look like the path to success at all. It would be nice to have a yellow brick road paved for us, or that line to follow in the financial services TV ads, but that’s just not reality. So, make your own road, trust your instincts, follow the signs, and believe that you will get there; wherever “there” is for you!