YOUR ATTITUDE CONTRIBUTES TO SUCCESS

A study attributed to Harvard University found that when a person gets a job or a promotion, eighty-five per cent of the time it is because of his attitude, and only fifteen per cent of the because of intelligence and knowledge of specific facts and figures.

It is not surprising, then, that almost hundred per cent of education dollars go to teach fact and figures, which account for only fifteen per cent of success in life.  

There are many morals? 

1. When our attitude is right, we realize that we are all walking on acres of diamonds. Opportunity are always under our feet. We don't have to go anywhere. 
2. When we don't know how to recognize opportunity, it could slap us on our face, and we would still not be able to recognize it. We need to do is to learn to recognize opportunities.    
3. People, who don't know how to recognize opportunities,  complain of noise when they knock.   
4. Lost opportunities are easier recognized when they are leaving rather when they are coming.

An opportunity only knocks once. The next one May be better or worse, but never the same one. A right decision at the wrong time becomes a wrong decision.  

FACTORS THAT DETERMINES OUR ATTITUDE

While we were born with tendencies towards temperaments, there are three factors that largely determines our attitude formation. These are known as triple E's of attitude:

1. Environment 
2. Experience 
3. Education     

Environment consists of the following:

• Home environment : positive or negative influences start rubbing off on all family members.  
• School environment: peer pressure.
•   Work environment: supportive or over-critical environment. 
•  Social environment: media, television, newspapers, magazines, radio, movies, etc. What is socially acceptable or unacceptable, starts influencing our attitude. 
•      Economic environment: abject poverty -- Can you teach values on an empty stomach?   
• Religious environment: Many times, either interpretation or misinterpretation of religion makes people fatalistic.  
• Political environment.  

    Experiences

Events and experiences in life determines our attitude. If we have a positive experience with a person, our attitude towards him is likely to be positive and conversely, negative experiences tend to make us cautions.

Experiences and events become reference points in our lives, and we draw conclusions which serve as guidelines for the future.    

Education. 

Holistic education ought to teach us not only how to make a living, but also how to live. 

Education refers to both formal and informal education. We are drowning in information but starving for knowledge and wisdom. Strategically applied, knowledge translates into wisdom, which turns to translate into success. 

HOW DO YOU RECOGNIZE PEOPLE WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE?

Just as the ab sense of ill health does not equal good health, similarly the absence of negativity does not make a person positive.

People with positive attitudes have certain personality traits that are easy to recognize. They are caring, conflict, patient and humble. They have high expectations of themselves and others.    

THE BENEFITS OF A POSITIVE ATTITUDE 

There are many benefits of having a positive attitude. The advantages are easy to see.  

A positive attitude: 

• Makes for a pleasing personality  
• Is energizing and invigorating 
• Gives fulfillment and makes life meaningful 
• Inspires oneself and others  
• Helps people become  contributing members and assets to society  
• Increase productivity and profit  
• Fosters teamwork and better relationships  
• Solves problems and makes positive decisions   
• Brings pride in performance and improves quality  
• Makes for a congenial atmosphere   
• Breeds loyalty and dependability  

THE CONSEQUENCES OF A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE.   

People with negative attitudes have a hard time keeping friendships, jobs, marriage and relationship. Negative attitude leads to:  

• Bitterness  
• Discontentment.                          
• Frustration  
• ill health 
• High stress for self and others 
• A purposeless life 

Negative attitudes create an unpleasant environment at home, at home, at work and in society. They pass their negativity to others around them.