Your attitude is a direct link to your success. Your positive attitude is a direct link to your positive success! The trouble is there are negative influences coming your way constantly. Psychologists suggest it takes between three to five positive experiences to overcome one negative experience. Your attitude effects your ability to have a better life in all areas, including your family, friendships, career, health, and spirituality
If your attitude is critical to all areas of your life, why don’t you focus more on improving it? The reason is because fear is one of the greatest motivators and supports your limiting beliefs. In this article, you will learn fears holding you back and positive actions you can take immediately to help you plan your best year ever with a positive attitude!
In Yes! Attitude by Jeffrey Gitomer, he names several fears holding people back from accomplishing goals. These fears are nervousness, rejection, reluctance, procrastination, rationale, doubt, uncertainty, doom and “I’m unlucky.” You can add to this list, “I’m not good enough.” Possessing these limiting beliefs keeps you from making new friends, making sales calls to grow your business, speaking in public, or whatever else your heart desires.
The first step to improving your attitude is determining the fears affecting you. Write each fear down in a journal, determine why it is a fear to you, and determine how you can overcome this fear with a positive belief. When the fear is most present to you, address it. Tell the fear you know it is there, but you choose to not let it be in the driver seat. That fear can sit in the back seat and be quiet while you and your positive belief sit in the front seat and control life.
Step two is uncovering your own positive attributes. Gitomer suggests there are six positive senses including, confidence, positive anticipation, determination, achievement, winning, and success. Add to this list, self-belief and visualization. These attributes allow you to counterbalance, then overcome the negative attributes. Write down your positive senses in the same journal and refer to them when you face a negative situation. Invite your positive attributes to sit in the front seat right next to you and help you drive.
In addition to overcoming negativity, practicing positivity gives you resilience to stress and helps you grow. Think of it as a superpower; your own coat of armor impenetrable to fear. In Happiness Advantage by Shawn Anchor, he refers to studies showing your attitude affects you in several ways pertinent to your business and your health. When you have a better attitude you are over 30% more productive, 40% more likely to get a promotion, you have over 20% less health-related effects from stress, and you’re creativity level triples!
Step three to have your best year ever with a positive attitude is determining your goals. Write at least three goals you wish to accomplish in the next year. A goal is a dream with a plan and a timeline. For each goal, list the timeline or deadline to accomplish your goal, the fear or negative senses you might face, and the positive senses you will use to realize your goal.
This three step plan is a simple way to help you have your best year ever. In addition, here are some other quick tips to help you further improve your positive attitude:
- Read books with positive affirmations
- Listen to Ted Talks
- Have coffee or tea with a friend once a week
- Call someone special to you once a week, just because
- Join a group which gives positive feedback, like Toastmasters
- Volunteer to help others without expecting anything in return
- Write handwritten thank you notes
- Review your goals and celebrate your accomplishments
The key to improving your attitude is to have a plan. Uncover your obstacles, create actions to overcome the obstacles, and ensure you give yourself credit for the awesome value you bring to the world. Follow the three-step plan above and you will have your best year ever!
About the author: Jennifer “is a powerful, enlightening, positive force to be around!” Jennifer Darling is a business growth coach. She has worked with 1,000s of small businesses in strategic planning to grow their businesses. She provides consulting for small to medium businesses, and personal development coaching for individuals. Jennifer possesses 20 years in sales, marketing, leadership and personal development for companies such as NBC, CBS, and Comcast. She holds a Master’s Degree in Management and a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising & Promotion.