Discover Undeniable Success with a Positive Attitude

Is your business as productive as it could be? Could your productivity be enhanced by simply evaluating your ATTITUDE?

ATTITUDE = THOUGHTS              THOUGHTS = EMOTIONS                 EMOTIONS = BEHAVIORS

Having a POSITIVE ATTITUDE is a state of mind that anticipates favorable events and allows you to celebrate accomplishments, rather than dwelling on negatives and focusing on failures. In fact, research has shown that a positive mental attitude can drive your success.  

Maintaining a positive attitude in your business contributes to a great work environment that inspires increased productivity. Being positive may keep your ideas flowing while creating a greater probability of collaboration and teamwork, so your outlook can help you and your team stay focused and meet deadlines. 

Do you identify with a positive attitude, or do you let a negative attitude win? You can test yourself by answering the following questions.

ARE YOU RESILIENT?

If you answered yes, you have the ability to bounce back and recover well from change. Better yet, you’re able to interpret change as opportunities for growth. The path behind a prosperous business is often paved with failures and mistakes, and adopting a positive attitude can help you become resilient when dealing with inevitable business challenges. Fredrickson states “…positive emotions help speed recovery from negative emotions, even if the positive thinking is self-generated.” 

Research has shown that people who are resilient possess the following four characteristics: 

• Confidence               
• Purpose                      
• Social Support            
•  Adaptability

Developing resilience involves striving for good self-esteem with a mindset open to learning and growth. If you spend time recognizing and developing your strengths and coping strategies, you may become more resilient when facing challenges and adversity in your business.  

ARE YOU ABLE TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS?

Decisions regarding your business can be stressful. Before making an important decision, take stock of all weighing factors by considering relevant reports, evaluating your media strategy, and understanding how your competitors do business.

From academics to bloggers dishing advice, many have attempted to summarize the decision process into a series of five-to-seven steps. According to Siri Hedreen, (15 August 2019), almost all models include the following steps: 

• Identify your goal

• Gather relevant information

• Evaluate your options

• Make your choice
• Evaluate your decision

You can also use tools and techniques to help organize your thoughts during this process. Here are a few that are widely recognized as beneficial: 

• T-Chart – Record all the positives and negatives of a decision on a pros and cons chart.  
• Decision Tree– Make a graph or model. Record each option and what you believe the outcome will be using statistical analysis.
• Pareto Analysis– If there are many decisions to be made prioritize by considering which decision will have the greatest overall impact. 
• Cost-Benefit Analysis – Determine which decision is most sensible from an economic perspective by weighing the financial ramifications of each possible alternative. 
• Conjoint Analysis – Use consumer preferences to make your decision. 

DO YOU USE POSITIVE VOCABULARY OFTEN?

Think about how many times today you have used words to get what you need or want. The words you use and how you say them are reflections of what you are feeling and thinking. People with a positive attitude avoid vocabulary including phrasing such as “I can’t,” “It’s not happening,” or “I’m too tired.” Instead, they use words that are consistently positive. Check out https://positivewordsresearch.com/65-words-embody-business/ for a list of positive words to adopt for your business. 

Often, the most powerful detail is not the language you use, but the tone in which you convey information. Keep anger and frustration out of your voice. Use words that are neutral, rather than emotionally-loaded words. This goes for positive self-talk, too, which can carry you through difficult tasks. 

ARE YOU PROACTIVE?

If you answered yes, you are a leader who anticipates and gauges what is going to happen and works accordingly to minimize or maximize the effect of the event or work. You are adaptable and able to take the behaviors of others into account. When an unexpected situation happens, you rely on your own choices instead of luck or circumstance. You are prepared to control the unexpected, solve problems before they occur, and address challenges before they become bigger problems. You certainly don’t just wait around to see what might happen.  

Be clear about your goals and the necessary actions to achieve them. Consistency is crucial. Only make promises to yourself and others that you can keep. If you set realistic deadlines and avoid over-promising, you will meet expectations and manage stress. 

Is it time to dump your negative attitude and adopt a more positive one? 

Here’s the thing: A positive attitude is essential to obtaining happiness and success in your life and your business. When you encounter complications, a positive attitude will not only shift your state of mind toward success; you will persevere, try again, and continue to do your best.