Attitude, your attitude, affects everything you do and every accomplishment you achieve, or don’t achieve.

Pretty important so far…

Some people don’t think attitude is that important. Those people are wrong.

• Think about the five most successful people you know. How are their attitudes?

• Now think about Olympic athletes, entrepreneurs. How do their attitudes affect their success and their outcomes?

• Now think about salespeople. When a successful salesperson loses a sale, he doesn’t bring that bummed-​out attitude into the next sale.

• Now think about me. When I was selling Cutco knives (my first sales job), my manager had me call him in between each sale. I later realized that whenever I lost a sale he pumped me back up for the next one, and whenever I won a sale, he capitalized on the positive attitude I had to pump me up even stronger for the next one, but no matter what, I walked into my next sales call with a positive attitude and ready to win the sale.

• Now think about you. In life, there are negative aspects that can get in the way of your attitude – if you let them. Ever call a close friend or family member on the phone and she answers, “hello,” in a very sad, deep tone? Obviously she is trying to tell you something without actually saying much of anything – that everything is not okay. And her tone of voice can affect you, or not – it’s your choice.

• Now think about how you respond. From an attitude perspective what’s the best way to respond to her tone? The answer is to ask a question that doesn’t include the word, “why.” Asking why makes people defensive, and it tends to breed an answer that’s not the whole answer. Think about the times that you have been asked why and why you don’t give a full answer – especially if it’s a parent, sibling or a very close friend.

• Now think about your family. Think about the person in your family who may be experiencing something at the moment – the one who is always negative, the one who complains about everything, the one who never sees the positive first, but always finds what’s wrong. “The Kvetch.” Can’t identify one? Or maybe you have more than one? Most families have that person. If you can’t identify one, hopefully, it’s not you.

THE POINT IS: While you can’t control other people’s unhappiness, you CAN control yours.

Here’s what you can do to build your attitude fortitude and attitude antioxidant immunity…

• Your morning routine sets the tone for the day. Smile in your mirror, greet everybody in a friendly way, read something positive, write something positive, watch something positive.
• Clear your mind of the clutter created by unfinished items to do. Just write them down.
• Start happy. Approach everything you do with a positive mindset. Always. Shower happy. Brush your teeth happy. Pee happy. Be happy.
• Look good. If you look good, you’ll feel good and think good.
• Check in with yourself. Someone pissing you off? Why? How are you reacting? Make sure your actions and reactions are set to positive consistently.
• Help yourself. If you find yourself unhappy, ask yourself why. NOTE: Asking yourself why is different than asking others. Be honest with yourself. Write about it to yourself.
• Use attitude antioxidants when you need them. Take a bath or shower, or steam shower if you can, listen to music, watch comedy on TV, go for a walk, work out. – c’mon, sweat a little, meditate. Whatever you choose, have fun and think fun.

ON THE DARK SIDE: If you’re unhappy about something or someone, or have a negative mindset, you must first uncover why, and then discover what you need to change, do, act, or respond to make yourself happy. Do it.

If you’re dealing with something specific that turns your attitude upside down, think about WHY it’s affecting you. Then think about how you will feel if the situation keeps occurring, but you’re no longer impacted negatively. Think about what’s preventing you from responding positively or taking positive action.

In my most inspirational city, Paris, there seem to be a lot of unhappy people. REASON: There’s no incentive to work hard or earn more. Are incentives enough to affect attitude? Would you be happier knowing that you could earn more or happier earning the same? (I choose incentive).

When in Paris, I always get together with my friend Nicole. The first thing I notice is her bubbly, sparkly personality, and her positive attitude and positive mindset she brings to everything. In fact, I don’t just notice it, it’s contagious.

NOTE: You don’t have to be in Paris to be positive, but it helps.

Charlie, my 4‑month old puppy, is food incentivized. For the past few weeks, I could not get her to go up a flight of stairs. One day I offered her (kosher) salami, and she made it up a few steps at a time as long as the salami was in front of her. The next day, she ran up the stairs knowing the salami would be waiting for her.

Your past dictates your future. Your past experiences, your successes, and your failures all create, test and transform your attitude. Life, business, careers, family, all have their ups, downs, and twists.

ASK YOURSELF: How do you respond to any and everything that happens to you?

TELL YOURSELF: Have a little faith… have a little faith in YOU… that you can choose your attitude and change it however needed.
BE YOURSELF: Everyone else is already taken. (Oscar Wilde)