It All Begins With Attitude Essays - Social Psychology, Attitude

It All Begins With Attitude IT ALL BEGINS WITH ATTITUDE from the seminar BREAKING THROUGH LIFE'S BOUNDARIES by Pat Spithill Seminar Leader * Author * Keynote Speaker (C) Copyright, 1989, Pat Spithill P.O. Box 505 * Hutchins, Texas 75141 214-225-8051 This material may not be reproduced or altered without written permission of the author and copyright holder. The Importance of Attitude The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word "attitude" as "a mental position or feeling with regard to an object." The mental positions or feelings are our thoughts, beliefs and opinions. The object is life. In other words, attitudes encompass all of the thoughts, beliefs and opinions which people have about their lives. Over 2500 years ago, Buddha said, "All that we are is the result of what we have thought; it is founded on our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him." Buddha also said, "It is a man's own mind - not his enemy or his foe that lures him into evil ways." A person's attitude, what Buddha was speaking of, is the very foundation on which his or her life's experience has been, is, and will be built. Every part of reality is the result of a person's attitudes. In simple terms, our attitudes reflect what we expect from life. This shouldn't be confused with what we want, dream or hope for. No one wants to be unhappy, lead a boring life or look back over the years with remorse and regret. Yet, so often rather than expecting the best life has to offer, people expect much the opposite. They expect problems and get problems; expect disappointments and are disappointed; expect to fail and then, rather than experience the desired success, they fail. If attitudes are the mental expectations about jobs, relationships, financial status and so on, then these very powerful thoughts must be the elements which set the course for our lives and destiny. It isn't life's circumstances which create the attitudes; it's the attitudes which create life's circumstances. When people change their expectations and attitudes, then their lives must surely change as well. I know a gentleman who, in the late 1960's, worked as a repossessor of logging trucks. If you will, create a mental image of a person who walks up to burly truck drivers and says, "I have to either have a payment or the keys, whichever you want." I would picture someone about 6'3" and 220 pounds of solid muscle. As it happens, Jim Cathcart is 5'9", rather slender and not the muscular type. People who repossess cars, foreclose homes, or work for collection agencies tend to be negative thinkers. However, one day Jim heard a radio program with a message about the power of positive expectations. He changed his attitudes and began planning for and expecting an exciting success filled future. Today, Jim Cathcart is an internationally recognized leader in the field of sales and management seminars and consulting. Jim has written eight books, is the co-author of Relationship Strategies, an all time top selling audio cassette program from Nightingale-Conant, and is one of the highest paid professionals in his business. And all because he expected to succeed, he expected the best life could provide. This article about building the foundation for your life on the concrete blocks of a positive attitude will cover four things: the source of attitudes; the difference between directive attitudes and reactive attitudes, how the word HALT can help you maintain and strengthen positive attitudes, and specific skills and techniques for building expectations for a wonderful and exciting life. Attitudes - Directive or Reactive Most people fail to ever consciously take control of their lives, living at the mercy of the prevailing winds of fate. Their attitudes are reactive in nature rather than directive. These people constantly respond to changing conditions rather than creating situations which suit their purposes. If you were to lose your job today, how would you react? What emotions would you feel? Would you be angry, incensed, hurt, disappointed? Would you go home, feel terrible and beat-up on yourself for hours on end? A little over a year ago, just before my wonderful wife Jan and I relocated to the Dallas area from Denver, the company for which she worked went through what can only be called disastrous changes. Over the course of four months, the firm laid- off 90% of its work force, approximately 85 people. Due to decreasing revenues, it