Starting Strong -- Be Positive about 2017

It is said that everything that happens to you affects your attitude. That can be very true for many people as the majority of individuals allow the events they encounter affect how they think and feel. Men, women, and children all deal with issues daily that can really put them into either a good or a bad mood based on the situation. At times, certain incidents that happen can be either devastating to you or make you the happiest person on the planet. How you respond to the situation determines the outcome for you.

According to Thomas Young, MBA, with Sales Training Plus, the most important decision you make in your life is the attitude you choose to express each day when dealing with people or circumstances. This critical choice determines success or failure in sales and in life. The key is the realization that you choose. That’s right--you purposefully choose your attitude! Learn to be a strong person in your mind and heart.

Choosing a positive state of mind leads to virtually unlimited success in your career and your life. A negative attitude leads to unhappiness, poor relationships, difficulty at work and ultimately, poor health. In fact, the most common causes of death in the United States are heart disease and cancer, which are related to stress. Stress is a result of a negative attitude, carried out via perceptions, choices, and behavior. Greater stress leads often to greater physical and mental health problems.

A positive attitude, while at times difficult to maintain, is priceless. Your attitude affects your life and also the lives of those around you: friends, family, and coworkers. Especially if you are in sales, you cannot afford to have a bad day too often, or your clients will find another sand box to play in and not invite you.

According to Geoffrey James, who wrote once in Inc. Magazine, “a positive attitude is never automatic. You have to work at it! Here's how to become a master of the mind.” Here are six tips how to cultivate a positive attitude, regardless of what's happening at work, based upon comments from Jeff Keller, author of the bestseller Attitude is Everything:

1. Remember that YOU control your attitude--Attitude does not emerge from what happens to you, but instead from how you decide to interpret what happens to you. Take, for example, receiving the unexpected gift of an old automobile. One person might think: "It's a piece of junk!" a second might think: "It's cheap transportation," and a third might think: "It's a real classic!" In each case, the person is deciding how to interpret the event and therefore controlling how he or she feels about it (i.e. attitude).

2. Adopt beliefs that frame events in a positive way--Your beliefs and rules about life and work determine how you interpret events and therefore your attitude. Decide to adopt "strong" beliefs that create a good attitude rather than beliefs that create a bad attitude. To use sales as an example:

• Situation: The first sales call of the day goes poorly.
• Weak: A lousy first call means that I'm off my game and today is already not good.
• Strong: Every sales call is different, so the next will probably be better.
• Situation: A customer reduces the amount of an order at the last minute!
• Weak: Customers who change orders can't be trusted.
• Strong: Customers who change orders are more likely to be satisfied!

3. Create a "library" of positive thoughts--Spend at least 15 minutes every morning to read, view, or listen to something inspirational or motivational. If you do this regularly, you'll have those thoughts and feelings ready at hand (or rather, ready to mind) when events don't go exactly the way you'd prefer.

4. Avoid angry or negative media--Unfortunately, the media is full of hateful people who make money by goading listeners to be paranoid, unhappy, and frightened. The resulting flood of negativity doesn't just destroy your ability to maintain a positive attitude; it actively inserts you into a state of misery, pique, and umbrage. Rather than soak up the negativity, limit your "informational" media consumption to business and industry news.

5. Ignore whiners and complainers—These people see the world through dark glasses. They'd rather talk about what's irreparably wrong, rather than make things better. More importantly, complainers can't bear to see somebody else happy and satisfied. If you tell a complainer about a success that you've experienced, they'll congratulate them, but their words ring hollow. You can sense they'd just as soon you told them about what's making you miserable.

6. Use a more positive vocabulary--The words that come out of your mouth aren't just a reflection of what's in your brain--they're programming your brain how to think. Therefore, if you want to have a positive attitude, your vocabulary must be consistently positive. Therefore:

• Stop using negative phrases such as "I can't," "It's impossible," or "This won't work." These statements program you for negative results.
• Whenever anyone asks "How are you?" rather than "Hangin' in there," or "Okay, I guess..." respond with "Terrific!" or "Never felt better!" And mean it!
• When you're feeling angry or upset, substitute neutral words for emotionally loaded ones. Rather than saying "I'm enraged!", say: "I'm a bit annoyed..."

Attitude affects all aspects of your life. One of the most positive individuals on the planet was Zig Ziglar, and his work for decades affected millions of people around the world by challenging everyone to be successful, and the results from his work still continues to inspire people even after his death. He created a lasting legacy for positive living. Combined with a strong personality and his exuberance for life, Zig was a master at motivating people through both his spoken and written words.

The more you can condition yourself to be positive, the greater likelihood you have to win contracts, additional business opportunities, and improved relationships with about everyone you meet. Be the best at what you do, and have the best attitude you can. Being positive goes a long way to bring success in business and in life. Start strong in 2017 and be successful.