Are Your Goals Inside Out?

Reaching your goals requires change in behavior which results in new outcomes—but that change is not sustainable unless you are transformed by change that starts in your mind with attitude and beliefs. Your mind is your “control tower,” directing what you do, how you perceive yourself, others, circumstances, potential and your future. While we cannot control other people or many situations, we can always choose what we think and how we respond.

There are two sides to this:

1. Because our thoughts impact our behavior, it’s important to maintain a positive attitude. Attitude drives our behavior; impacts what we say and do; regulates our level of satisfaction; and is a primary force that determines our energy level and pursuit of happiness and success. I’m a broken record about this. My husband has been a paraplegic for 15 years. His mind cannot control his body below the waist, but that does not keep him from maintaining a positive attitude and figuring out what he can do, not what he can’t due to physical limitations.
2. Goals should be positive, not negative. For instance, not “I want to quit smoking,” but “I want to be a non-smoker.” Subtle, but it makes a difference.

Why not choose to be positive? Develop and maintain a positive mental attitude by directing your energy in positive, productive ways. Focus on what you can accomplish, not on what you can’t. In addition to helping you, your positive attitude will be contagious to others. Here are some things to get you started:

• Try this simple experiment to accentuate the positive. Every day for the next week, make note of the good that takes place. At the end of the week, notice what happens to your attitude. Even optimistic folks are positively impacted.
• Positive attitudes are contagious so encourage the positive in others—people work hard for money, but work even harder for a kind word. Sincere praise is a powerful incentive. Catch your employees doing something right. Let them know that you noticed by giving positive feedback.
• Take care how you interact with others. Being attentive builds long-term relationships—people remember positive people and positive experiences.

How might these ideas impact your life? Invest in your future by taking the actions this prompts you to think about. We’d love to hear how you nourish your win-win attitude and what difference that makes.

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