Choose Your Attitude

You can’t change your past. You’ve got only so much control over your future. And, if you are like most of us, you have to do things every week that you’d rather not do. All of that could lead to a decidedly unhappy life.

However, there is one area over which you have total control. You can choose how you respond to activities, events, and other people. The choice you make can often influence the outcome. More importantly, it can determine the level of enjoyment you experience in the process.

Here are a couple of examples of how the right attitude can make a difference:

My job required me to be on-call for computer system emergencies. For some reason, those calls frequently happened at the most inconvenient times (while out to dinner with a friend, when I was pressed for time to be somewhere or get something done, on my first day to relax after three busy weeks, etc.). Before returning those calls, I learned the importance of reminding myself that this customer was depending on me to get him or her out of a jam that wasn’t his or her fault any more than it was mine. I also told myself not to worry because it might just turn out to be an easy fix that wouldn’t take very long. This attitude “adjustment” made for a much more pleasant experience for both of us. It also helped me to focus more on the problem at hand instead of how soon I could get off the phone. That often, ironically, lead to a faster solution and thus, less time on the phone!

I had dinner recently with someone who went through some pretty rough times in her late teens and early twenties. As we talked about this, it was clear that she would have preferred to have avoided this adversity. However, she opted for an attitude of determination to overcome it, instead of feeling victimized by it. Her attitude (plus a lot of hard work, of course) helped her to succeed. She hasn’t stopped there, though. When looking back on that adversity, she chooses to focus on what she learned instead of what she suffered. That attitude frees her to enjoy the life she lives now and provides a foundation for much more success in the future.

Choosing the right attitude can make a real difference in many aspects of your life. Next time you are feeling resentful or irritable about something or someone, try an attitude adjustment. It will help you to have a better (and happier) experience, and just might result in a better outcome, too!