Is The Right Attitude Enough?

ZAP: IT’S AN ATTITUDE!

“The greatest discovery of my generation is that man can alter his life simply by altering his attitude of mind.” – William James

The human body is electrical energy. If your heart defibrillates, electricity is used to “shock” it back into a normal rhythm. Acupuncture uses the theory of “rivers of energy” to heal and renew the body. Our brains are a mass of neurons firing precisely to create speech, fine motor movement and the thousands of impulses necessary to carry on the routines of living.
Hence, attitude is a force, an electrical burst that can move us in both positive and negative directions. For example, biofeedback studies have shown that people can think and create higher, and lower, blood pressure. Humor can help people overcome disease. And leadership gurus are forever saying that success starts with the right attitude!
So how do you go about creating this positive aura that will allow you to reach new goals? How do you avoid falling into a “Pollyannaish” type of trap that, at best, is poppycock?
First, all the positive thoughts you can muster won’t overcome a negative reality. If you live in poverty, positive thoughts may help you get up in the morning but it doesn’t guarantee that you will eat that day. If you live with a physically abusive spouse, all the positive thoughts in the world won’t stop the next round of pummeling. These traps squash positive attitudes and require more concerted help beyond your control.
(Anyone can rise to new heights if offered enough support and guidance. George Bernard Shaw wrote Pygmalion, a story about a person’s transformation from poor to rich. A funny, modern version of the story is the movie Trading Places with Eddie Murphy.)
Regardless of your current situation, you need a plan and a mentor. If your goal is to live a healthy and rewarding life, you need education, opportunities and someone who can walk you through the maze of adapting to your new life. If your plan is to live a physically active life, just putting on your running shoes won’t work. Most likely, you will be sore the next day, quick to make excuses and not continue.
Second, if your plan is about making money, chances are that you will never succeed. You can never make enough money; hence, the reason for greed and corruption in corporate America. Money is never enough. You plan for happiness and if money follows, it’s a bonus.
Attitude is about creating opportunities for small successes. After each success, your confidence grows and reinforces the positive attitude. That leads to the next round of positive attitudes, attempts, success and more confidence. And so the wheel continues to turn: actions reinforced by success that leads to the next round of the plan.
Attitude is essential and we need to do all we can to believe in ourselves and that we will make progress every day. But the main ingredient is planning for action; without action you are simply daydreaming. Find your mentor, construct your plan and begin enjoying your small successes.