Thursday, September 1, 2011

The Magic Word:By Earl Nightingale




“Attitude” is the magic word. You are responsible for how your life turns out, and your attitude shapes that life for better or worse. Develop a winning attitude. Each of us creates his or her own life largely by our attitude. We all want good results. A healthy attitude is our best guarantee. Attitude is defined as the position or bearing as indicating action, feeling or mood. And it is our actions, feelings or moods that determine the actions, feelings and moods of others. Our attitude tells the world what we expect in return. Make yours expectant and cheerful. You get what you expect.

You can control your attitude. Set it each morning. The world will reflect back to you the attitude you present to them. It is then, our attitude toward life that determines life’s attitude toward us. We get back what we put out. Others treat us as we treat them. They react to us. They only give us back a reflection of our own attitude. Our surroundings reflect us. Our environment is a mirror. Life is an echo chamber of cause and effect. What we sow we’ll reap. What we give we’ll get. Change and your surroundings will change. Each of us shapes his or her life largely by our habitual attitude. A new habit takes time. Most people begin their day in neutral. They will simply react to whatever confronts them. These are the people of our environment. That’s why it’s so important for us to control our attitudes.

William James said, “Human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes.” Gratitude and expectancy are the best attitude. It’s up to you. You’re responsible. Don’t take a defensive doubtful attitude toward yourself and others. A poor attitude is a magnet for unpleasant experiences. We get what we expect and our outlook on life is a kind of paint brush and with it we paint our world. It can be bright and filled with hope and satisfaction or it can be dark and gloomy. The world we experience is a reflection of our attitude.

Don’t take the attitude of waiting for people to be nice to you – be nice to them. Don’t sit in front of a cold stove waiting for the heat. Put in the fuel. Act first. It has to start somewhere. Let it begin with you. Attitude is a reflection of the person inside.

People doing an outstanding job and getting outstanding results are outstanding people and that is because of an outstanding attitude. They think they can achieve. They believe that achievement is the natural order of things, and it is. They believe they can be as successful and competent as anyone else. They are usually no smarter or talented than anyone else but they have the right attitude. Attitude makes the difference. Accomplishment is easy because so few others really try.

Luck is what happens when preparedness meets opportunity. A great attitude is the best preparation. Expect more good out of life than bad. Expect to succeed more often than you fail, and you will. There are more reasons why you can reach your goals than fail in the attempt. Work at it. Be positive, cheerful, grateful and expectant. Change things for the better by changing your attitude. Attitude determines altitude.

Life is impersonal. Your attitude affects you more than others. Don’t wait for change. You change. Practice. Every dollar you’ll ever earn must come from people because of our love and kindness they see and feel.

Develop and project an attitude that says ‘yes’ to life. Life is dull only to dull people. Life is successful for successful people. You must radiate success before it’ll come to you. We become what we really wish to become. You must be before you can do or have something.

Treat every person as the most important person on earth. To them, they are the most important person. That’s the way we ought to treat each other. By doing so we begin to form an important habit. Esteem others. They are important and needed. People want to be recognized and respected. Everyone counts. They will give their business to the person who fills this need.

People don’t have great attitudes because of great success, they have great success largely because of great attitudes. Act toward others exactly as you wish them to act toward you. Treat them importantly. Set the pace. Don’t catch the bad and infectious attitudes of others. 

Keep yourself healthy. Don’t mimic the attitudes of others unless they are good. A good attitude will place you immediately in the top 5% of people on earth.

In summary: It’s our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task that more than anything else will bring about it’s successful outcome. Our attitudes toward others determine their attitudes toward us. Success depends on how well we relate to others. Before you can achieve the kind of life you want you must think, act, talk, and conduct yourself in all of your affairs as would the person you wish to become. 

The higher you go in any organization the better the attitudes you will find. The deepest craving of the human being is for recognition and self-esteem, to feel important, to be recognized and appreciated. Treat everyone with whom you come in contact as the most important person on earth.   

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