A is for Attitude
GETTING STARTED
Attitude is something that you don’t think about unless of course you run into someone that has a bad attitude, at the grocery store, at work or gasp, church. Our attitude is one of those intangible things that we ourselves don’t think about but those who live with us or work with us know an awful lot about it.
One of the characters from one of my favorite 80’s show The A Team was named B.A. Baracus (he was played by Mr. T.) The B.A stood for Bad Attitude. And if you remember the show and the character, he definitely had a bad attitude especially when it came to flying. It’s funny but there are people I know whose name isn’t B.A but they unquestionably have a bad attitude. Because they have a bad attitude, they are some of the most miserable people I know. And to be honest, they are people that I try to avoid at all costs. Do you have those B.A.’s in your life? Are you a B.A.?
A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
It’s really simple; someone with a positive attitude increases their chances for success. Why? Because they see the possibilities not the setbacks. They see the glass as half full instead of half empty. They see what can be accomplished instead of what can’t be done. John Maxwell points out, “All things being equal, attitude wins. All things not being equal, attitude sometimes wins.”[1]
I know when I have looked at people to invite into positions or to hire as employees, the first thing I look at is their attitude. Do they have a positive attitude? When the going gets tough, what is their attitude like? I have discovered that I would much rather “hire” for attitude and teach skills. You see I can teach a person skills but I can’t teach them attitude. Actually, I can’t change their attitude, only they can change their attitude. So if you want today to be a good day, you and only you can determine your attitude.
YOU CAN HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AT ANY AGE
There was a ninety year old lady who was moving in to a nursing home. She was legally blind and her husband of seventy years had passed away, the move was her only option. She waited in the lobby of the facility for a long time before being told that her room was ready. As she was escorted down the corridor, her attendant described the room, down to the curtains hung on the windows.
“I love it”, the elderly lady enthused.
“But you haven’t even seen the room yet. Just wait,” the attendant responded.
“That doesn’t have anything to do with it,” she replied,” Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.
Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged. It’s how I arrange my mind.”[2]
My attitude is a choice that I make every day. There is no one who can control and change my attitude but me. My attitude determines my altitude.
Conversation
So how is your attitude? How would others characterize your attitude?
What is one way that you can make sure that you have a positive attitude? Do you have negative thoughts or habits that contribute to you having a bad attitude?
[1] John Maxwell, Today Matters, 43
[2] John Maxwell, Today Matters, 50