Thought dedication. You decide what to think, and how to react.

What is the importance of attitude?

Every person, you included, wants to achieve more, earn more, find happiness, be successful, and be fulfilled. At the root of all these elements is attitude. Positive attitude. Your positive attitude.

Every person, you included, instinctively knows that. Yet most people, you included, don’t really possess a positive attitude. Oh, you may think you do, but I promise you, you don’t.

Most people don’t read about attitude.
Most people don’t study attitude.
Most people don’t practice attitude.
Most people don’t live the essence of attitude.
Most people don’t live the principles of attitude.
Most people are not dedicated to attitude.
You included.

In fact, you may have never read a book on the subject of attitude.

I believe I was born with a positive attitude, and I believe you were born with a positive attitude. It took 24 years for me to discover mine. I wonder if you have found yours yet.

Everyone, you included, has heard the expression, “Attitude Is Everything!”

Let me break down the elements of that expression for you – maybe for the first time. Attitude controls, rules, affects, and directs your career, your family life, your personal life, and you. It affects or can impact your relationships, your business success, and your health.

Attitude has power. Personal power. And the best part is: YOU CONTROL IT. You determine the way you think about, develop, and deliver your attitude.

In my Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude I explain the simple difference between “positive” and “YES!” When something great happens to you, you don’t scream “POSITIVE!” When something great happens to you, you scream, “YES!”

It’s subtle, but powerful, language when you come to that mental and verbal understanding.

What language do you speak? No, I don’t mean Spanish, French, or English. I mean positive or negative. Attitude language.

Ever look out the window when it’s pouring rain, and think to yourself, “It’s gonna be a rotten day”? Why don’t you walk away from the window where you can’t see outside and think about the day in terms of you, not the weather.

It’s the small wording of expressions like that, that lead to a “bad day” for anyone. Even you. A rotten day starts with the way you think about it, and the way you talk about it. It’s not about the weather outside. It’s about the weather inside – inside your mind.

How’s the weather where you live?
How’s the weather where you work?
How’s the weather where you play?
How’s the weather where you think?

One of the definitions of a positive attitude is: The way you dedicate yourself to the way you think. And you are in complete control of it.

Thinking positive is a self-discipline. A daily self-discipline. You control it. You make it happen. Or not. Taking positive actions is dependent on positive thought. If you don’t THINK positive, you will not BE positive, and you will not DO positive.

There are many definitions of attitude, and there are many ways to look at attitude. Books have been written on attitude that you have not exposed yourself to. All of them are helpful, all of them are good, and all of them must be studied if you want to achieve your positive attitude.

Books like Think and Grow Rich contain the philosophies, strategies, and the connected stories of men and women who have achieved their positive attitude – and can help you achieve yours. You should own them and read a few pages every day. (That’s one of the secrets of attitude: read and study attitude for 15 minutes a day). Positive attitude is yours for the taking, all you have to do is read, study, and apply – every day.

The challenge of positive attitude is for you to decide that you’re willing to dedicate the time, and that you have the desire to make it happen for yourself.

If you want some ideas for the achievement of attitude, go to www.gitomer.com and enter the words ATTITUDE STARTERS in the GitBit box.

Reprinted with permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer.

About the Author

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at [email protected].