A Positive Attitude
How many times have you heard self-help gurus say that you need to have a “positive attitude”, or listened to some coach talk about how important it is to “Give 110%”? How many times have you silently responded with “Oh shut UP – I’ve heard that already!”?
Actually, if you can hear past the cliches, there’s actually something valuable in those attempts to pump you up…
The positive attitude those statements are trying to create is one that allows you to move toward your goals (or the goal line), no matter what comes at you. And some ugly stuff is going to come at you – life can be like that!! If you can maintain this attitude in spite of that, you’ll take negative circumstances in stride and nothing will deter you for long.
For better or worse, our minds are incredibly flexible things – kind of like Etch-a-sketches. It doesn’t take much for one picture to be shaken off-screen and replaced with something else.
The moment we experience a change in what’s happening around us, our minds respond to this input with a change in perception. So positivity and negativity are both infectious, and constantly battling for control of our consciousness.
Imagine walking down the street and being greeted with a smile from a stranger – the world feels like a friendly place and everything’s good. Then you turn the corner and come across 2 homeless guys trying not to freeze to death, and the world suddenly looks cold and bleak again.
Unless you develop a solid belief in what you can accomplish, something that can prop up a positive perspective, you’re going to be mentally tossed from one extreme to another on a pretty regular basis.
The secret to the “winning attitude” is the knowledge that nothing is impossible, be it kicking a field goal against the wind or realizing a particular goal. So when the coach says “We can win…if we just play OUR GAME!”, don’t groan and roll your eyes at him. Play YOUR game, and don’t let anything throw you off of it.
