You Are What You Think About
Your attitude is carved by your influences

Everyone thinks they have a positive attitude, and most people are wrong. They may have positive anticipation, until they lose a few. Then they begin to grumble and blame.

If your attitude isn’t as strong as it should be, the first thing you need to do is find out why. If you understand the root cause, then a remedy is more easily accepted and implemented. The key word of attitude is “influence.”

In the legendary Earl Nightingale recording of “The Strangest Secret,” he says, “You become what you think about all day long.”

Ever hear the age-old statement, “Self-talk equals self- performance?” It’s true. Self-talk is an influence.

Who and what is influencing you? How are they affecting your attitude?

Here are some influences to consider. I guarantee many of these are already affecting your thinking and your actions, either positive or negative.

• The influences of your associations. Who you hang around with will often determine how you think about yourself.
• The influences of your home environment. Not just what it’s like but also what takes place.
• The influences of your social environment. Bars? Clubs? Bookstores? Movies? The very words conjure up attitudes.
• The influences of your work environment. Demanding boss? Don’t like your job? Co-workers? Politics? Stresss?
• The influences of your reading and listening. You can read and listen to some of the greatest self-help information that will set the tone for positive thinking.
• The influences of your watching. Most of TV is negative or violent. In a word – don’t.
• The influences of your career. If you are unhappy in your job choice, if you are not driving for fulfillment beyond success, it will influence you in a negative way.
• The influences of your family. Do they encourage you or hold you back?
• The influences of your health. Good health can make you feel good. Bad health can devastate your attitude.
• The influences of your experiences. Past success reflection breeds confidence.
• The influences of your perceived self-worth. How you think of yourself when you look in the mirror, or when you worry what others think of you.
  
  The more aware you are of the influences, the more you will be able to convert all of them to the positive. Here are a few clues that will help:
• Guard your time. Make all your spare time positive.
  
  
  

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, and Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless. He can be reached at 704/333-1112 or e-mail to salesman@gitomer.com.

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