Attitude is everything

This is an old story, but it is worth repeating.

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and  noticed that she had only three hairs on her head. Well, she said, “I think I’ll braid my hair today.” So, she did. And she had a wonderful day.

The next day, she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two  hairs on her head. “Hmm,” she said, “I think I’ll part my hair down the middle  today.” So, she did. And she had a grand day.

The following morning, she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. “Well,” she said, “today I’m going to wear my hair  in a pony tail.”

So, she did. And she had a fun, fun day.

The next day, she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn’t a single hair on her head.

“Yeah!” she exclaimed, “I don’t have to fix my hair today!”

Attitude is everything.

Here is another story:

One day, an old lady who seems to be cheerful all the time got into the nerves of  a wealthy businessman who seems to be constantly miserable. Not only is she poor, but due to poor oral hygiene, the old lady has practically lost all of her teeth  except two.

The businessman could not understand her. So he approached the happy toothless old woman and asked, “I can’t seem to understand why you are happy all the time. Tell me. Why are you happy?”

She looked at the businessman and said, “I am happy because although I only  have two teeth left, at least they are still aligned.”

Attitude is such a huge thing. There are many people today who cannot attain the success they are looking for in life not because they lack in talent or skill, but simply because they have an attitude problem. Your attitude will either make you or break you.

Sales guru Jeffrey Gittomer says: “Several national tests have revealed the following startling statistics about why salespeople fail: 15 percent of them have had improper training for both product and sales skills, 20 percent have poor verbal and written communication skills, 15 percent are under a poor or problematic boss or management, and 50 percent of them lack positive attitude.”

I’ve known of people who are extraordinarily gifted. They are skilled, intelligent, and highly educated. But they are getting nowhere in life simply because they have a lousy attitude.

Famous author and speaker Charles R. Swindoll said: “This may shock you, but I believe that the single, most significant decision I can make on a daily basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position. Attitude is that ‘single string’ that keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitude is right, there’s no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, and no challenge too great for me.”

If there is anything important for me to develop, it is to form in me a Christ-like attitude. To give thanks in everything and in anything, appreciate God and His love for me. This gives me the ability to understand and accept other people.

So, let me offer you a piece of advice.

Be kinder than necessary, because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly…

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.

And that is a show of positive attitude.

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