By Harvey Deutschendorf
“If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” – Henry Ford
Listen to any motivational speaker and they will emphasize the importance of having a positive attitude. The same goes for any successful person who has shared publicly the attributes that have led to their success. While some may believe that a positive attitude is something that we either have or not, we are always in control of our thinking and feelings and therefore capable of changing our attitudes at any time. All that we need is the desire to change, the knowledge of what we need to do to change and the willingness to do the work that is required to make that change.
Here are 7 Habits of people who have developed highly positive attitudes.
Developed their emotional intelligence
Realizing that their emotions are what motivate and drive them, positive people have learned how to manage their emotions. We all experience ups and downs regularly in our lives. Frustration, disappointment, fear, sadness and anger are feelings that are part of being human. While experiencing these feelings like everyone else, positive people don’t let themselves become overwhelmed by negative feelings. Instead they manage them and continue on with their lives, realizing that everything passes with time. They also don’t make decisions when feeling strong emotions but wait until they are able to think rationally and are on an even keel. They force themselves to keep moving and take on tasks even when they don’t feel like doing so, realizing that once they get moving their feelings and attitude will improve. They are aware that beginnings are often difficult, but things will improve once they get further along and they will feel a sense of accomplishment for having overcome their initial resistance and carried on.
Believe in themselves and their abilities
While having experienced failures like everyone else, positive people know that to be successful we need to take risks and push their boundaries. They approach new challenges with the belief that they will either be successful or take away lessons from the experience that will lead them to be successful in the future.
Continuously set goals
Positive people feel the need to accomplish and are constantly striving to reach new goals that they have set. They use goals to mark their progress and as a way of motivating them to stay on target. Goal setting is a way of life and once they have reached one goal, they set another one. Having something to constantly strive for adds substance and meaning to their lives. While they are happy and grateful for what they have, they are never satisfied, always striving to learn, grow and accomplish more. They are curious and always looking for new ways to push their barriers and strive to reach their potential.
Have developed an attitude of gratitude
While they are always looking for challenges, positive people are grateful for what they have. They look for ways to thank those who have helped them along the way and are careful to give credit where it is due. Regardless of their circumstances or the conditions of their upbringing they are very aware of and thankful for the gifts that have been bestowed upon them. They realize that being happy with where they are will help them achieve more in their lives.
Always look for the good in all situations
Positive people are a pleasure to be around since they tend to bring the best to all situations that they are part of. They frequently use humor to brighten up and liven up events and look for the silver lining in everything that goes wrong. Instead of looking to blame they look for solutions and lessons that can be gleaned from every situation and event that has not gone well.
Surround themselves with positive people
Misery loves company and miserable people will quickly realize that they will not get any support or encouragement from those who are positive. Positive people also love company, but in the form of other positive people. Their demeanor and energy that they emit tends to attract other positive people to them. Surrounded by other people similar to them has the benefit of helping them stay on the bright side and even increase it.
Continuously learning from successful people
Whether attending lectures, reading an autobiography of a successful person or listening to a motivational recording while driving, positive people are on a life long journey of continuous improvement. They frequently have mentors and are always seeking to learn from those who they consider having been successful in the area of their lives that they have a strong interest in. Highly passionate, they are constantly asking questions and looking for ways to learn and improve themselves. They are the people that it feels good to be around as they show an interest in our lives and are always asking us questions about ourselves.
Harvey Deutschendorf is an emotional intelligence expert, internationally published author and speaker. To take the EI Quiz go to theotherkindofsmart.com. His book THE OTHER KIND OF SMART, Simple Ways to Boost Your Emotional Intelligence for Greater Personal Effectiveness and Success has been published in 4 languages. Harvey writes for FAST COMPANY and has a monthly column with HRPROFESSIONALS MAGAZINE. You can follow him on Twitter @theeiguy.