Attitude: the Little Thing That Makes a Big Difference
A few years ago I met a very capable and qualified service manager at a major university who, on paper, could have worked at any college campus or small business in America. He was well-educated, he had a great memory for job facts, and his job experience was extensive.
Although on paper the service manager was more than capable of doing his job, his biggest problem was himself. We have all met this guy. Maybe you work for him; hopefully you’re not him. He is his own worst enemy because of one simple thing: his attitude.
John Maxwell says, “There is very little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.” http//:johnmaxwellonleadership.com
I remember when I first heard anyone talk about having a good attitude versus a negative attitude. My Dad, Garey McManus, brought home some Zig Ziglar cassette tapes to let me listen to my first year in college. My Dad had been telling me for years how important attitude was, but I thought he was just saying that because that is what parents say. The next four years I craved a healthy diet of Zig Ziglar. He accompanied me daily in my car on a portable cassette player. One of my favorite Zig quotes to this day is, “We all need a daily check up from the neck up to avoid stinkin’ thinkin’ which ultimately leads to hardening of the attitudes.”
The great thing about attitude is we get to decide which kind we want. Life can give us lemons, but we decide if we want lemonade or something less pleasant.
In a July 23rd blog post, John Maxwell shared the following story. A university president once gave advice to the president of another school: “Always be kind to you’re and B students. Some of them will return to your campus as a good professor. And also be kind to your C students. Someday one of them will return and build a $2 million science laboratory.”
Attitude is critical to your own success. Where is yours leading you?
