 Self
Development Best Practices
Attitude
By
Bob Proctor
Victor Frankl once wrote, “Everything can be taken from
a person but one thing: the last of human freedoms - to
choose one’s attitudes in any given set of
circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Frankl was
right. Attitude is a choice. You could be faced with a
thousand problems, many or most over which you have
absolutely no control. However, there is always one
thing in which you are in complete and absolute control,
and that is your own attitude.
When you surrender control of your attitude to what
appears to be a negative situation, you will react to
that situation. More often than not, reacting is
inappropriate. On the other hand, if you were to remain
objective, you would respond to the situation
appropriately, thereby creating a winning situation.
If attitude is such an important word, why do so few
people understand it? To be honest, it wasn’t until I
was in my late 20s that I finally understood its full
impact. All through my teens and into my early adult
life, I can’t tell you the number of times that I heard,
“Bob, if you’d just change your attitude, you would do a
lot better.” In retrospect I can easily see the cause of
my problem. I didn’t know what attitude was, let alone
know how to change it!
Attitude is the composite of your thoughts, feelings and
actions. Your conscious mind controls feeling and
ultimately dictates whether your feelings will be
positive or negative by your choice of thoughts; then
your body displays those choices through action and
behavior.
Attitude is actually a creative cycle that begins with
your choice of thoughts. You do choose your thoughts and
that choice is where your attitude originates. As you
internalize ideas or become emotionally involved with
your thoughts, you create the second stage in forming an
attitude; you move your entire being - mind and body -
into a new “vibration.” Your conscious awareness of this
vibration is referred to as “feeling.” Your feelings are
then expressed in actions or behaviors that produce the
various results in your life.
Positive results are always the effect of a positive
attitude. Attitude and results are inseparable. They
follow one another as night follows day. What I mean by
that is: one is the cause, the other, the result. There
is a term we use to distinguish this “cause and effect”
relationship. It is called The Law of Cause and Effect.
Simply stated, if you think in negative terms, you will
get negative results; if you think in positive terms you
will achieve positive results. Ralph Waldo Emerson
reiterated that same point when he said, “A person is
what they think about all day long.” The results you
achieve in life are nothing more than an expression of
your thoughts, feelings, and actions. Take a close look
at your life and evaluate the results you are achieving
in various areas. See if you are able to relate your
attitude to your results.
Winning and losing are opposite sides of the same coin –
and that coin is attitude. There are many things wrong
in this world; unfortunately that is all some people are
able to see. Those who view the world in this light are
often unhappy and somewhat cynical. Usually, their lives
are ones of lack and limitation and it almost appears as
if they move from one bad experience to another. I know
people who are like this and I am certain you do as
well. It would appear as if they had been born with a
streak of bad luck that had followed them around their
whole lives. These individuals are quick to blame
circumstances or other people for their problems, rather
than accepting responsibility for their lives and their
attitudes.
Conversely, there are others who are forever winning and
living the good life. They are the real movers and
shakers who make things happen. They seem to go from one
major accomplishment to another. They are in control of
their lives; they know where they are going and know
they will get there. They are the real winners in life
and their wins are a matter of choice.
You can experience that kind of life as well; you only
need to decide. Making that simple decision is the first
step to a new life. Dorothea Brand once said, “Act as if
it were impossible to fail,” and I challenge you to do
so. By simply becoming aware that you can choose your
thoughts each and every day, you will change your entire
outlook. You have the power to choose an abundant life
no matter your circumstances. That active choice will
allow other positive people and opportunities to be
attracted into your life. Don’t wait to experience all
the wonderful things the universe has in store for you.
Start today by working on your attitude and welcome the
abundant life that you were meant to lead.
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Bob Proctor is widely
regarded as one of the living masters and teachers of
The Law of Attraction. Featured in the blockbuster hit,
The Secret, Proctor has worked in the area of mind
potential for over 40 years, is the best-selling author
of You Were Born Rich, and has transformed the lives of
millions through his books, seminars, courses and
personal coaching.
© LifeSuccess Productions www.bobproctor.com |
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Published September 2007,
Bay
Area Business Magazine
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