Why A Positive Attitude Matters Every Single Day
Having a positive attitude has been one of the most unbelievable tools I’ve been using for years to help me perform at high levels, both on the baseball field and in business. I personally adopted the 180-degree mindset — the idea of turning a negative thought around into a positive one — years ago, and it’s changed who I am and how I achieve success. It works in my business and every area of my life every single day.
I believe having a positive attitude can change the trajectory of your life and your business if you have the power to harness it. To me, being positive can be the difference between getting that meeting with an important potential client or truly believing in your product so much that your positivity helps propel your success.
But let’s face it: It’s not always easy to have a positive attitude, especially if you consider the number of thoughts, many of which are negative, that we have every day. Unfortunately, we as humans have the tendency to focus on those negative thoughts versus the positive ones. But we can change that and help create our own successes through a positive attitude.
Many motivational speakers will likely tell you that what you focus on grows. From my perspective, negative thoughts can, at times, be given too much power; they become a reality because you focus on the bad instead of something positive. This is why it’s important to redirect our thought processes and focus on the positive.
Positivity is especially important for a leader in business. After all, I’ve found that having a positive attitude can help motivate employees. For example, business leaders can use their positive attitudes to be effective motivators when it comes to encouraging employees to network and make sales.
It’s particularly important for entrepreneurs to maintain a positive attitude as they pursue their dream. They first have to believe in it — perhaps more than anybody else — and have the attitude that their company can and will succeed.
Shifting Your Mindset
We are human, and yes, bad things can happen to positive thinkers. But I believe it’s the way positive thinkers versus negative thinkers react to a bad situation that sets them apart. The 180-degree mindset approach is about taking negative thoughts and replacing them with positive ones. Whatever the negative thought is, a positive thought is 180 degrees from that.
Here are my tips for getting started and embracing a 180-degree mindset:
Turn ‘can’t’ into ‘can.’ In business, it’s important to turn the “can’t” into “can.” Whether you’re an entrepreneur chasing your dream or a CEO trying to motivate your team, having the belief of success can help lead you toward your goal.
However, while a positive attitude can help you believe you can do anything, you also have to put in the work. Instead of worrying about the negative things that could happen with a new project at work, envision the end result — the success of the project. Tuning out the negative thoughts and putting in place a positive image of success can be extremely powerful.
But it’s much deeper than just applying a shiny coat to a “bad” situation. Turning a negative perspective around is the process of thinking your way to a positive attitude. And with the right attitude, you can achieve whatever you think you can. There are so many times in business and in sports that I’ve had to call “time out” on the voices in my head and replace them with positive thoughts.
Reinforce your positive thinking. Shifting your mindset to now that’s positive doesn’t end with simply turning a thought around. You also have to reinforce those positive thoughts. I’m a believer that the power of positive self-talk can help quiet negative thoughts.
To practice more positive self-talk, I’ve found it helps to define your negative thoughts and track down where they are coming from. For example, if an entrepreneur is thinking negative thoughts about presenting an idea to investors, perhaps it’s because they are not confident in the idea, or they’re afraid of being told no or hearing that the idea isn’t valuable.
Instead, continue to focus on the positives. In the entrepreneur’s case, they should ask themselves: Why did I originally create the idea? Why is it so unique and different, and how will it positively benefit consumers?
During difficult or even scary times, we need to remind ourselves of those positives. I believe that’s how we can change the state of how we think and ultimately change a situation based on a positive attitude and approach.
Prioritizing Positivity
Having a positive attitude every single day is something that takes practice. You have to reinforce and encourage yourself to have a positive attitude in order to move forward with a positive frame of mind. You have to stand back from yourself and really observe your actions — what words you use, your actions, your thoughts.
By truly observing yourself and using the power of the 180-degree mindset to take action, you can practice positive thinking and have a positive attitude every single day. And when that happens, I believe you can truly change your life and your business and achieve anything you desire. Becoming a positive thinker and having a naturally positive attitude might not happen in a day, but the continued commitment to positive thinking is worth it.