“Most people never think about their attitudes at all. For most of them, it’s a matter of beginning the day in neutral. Their attitudes are neither good nor bad; they are poised to react to whatever stimuli they encounter. If the stimulus is good, they will reflect it; if it’s bad, they will reflect that, too.
They are chameleons, going through their days reacting to whatever confronts them. And these are the people of our environment. That’s why it’s so important for us to control our attitudes, to make sure they are excellent or good.
It was William James, of Harvard University, the father of psychology in America, who said, ‘Human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.’
In trying to describe the attitude that has worked so well for me over the years, I found myself using two important words: gratitude and expectant. First, I am grateful for the opportunity to live on this beautiful and astonishing planet Earth. In the morning, I wake up with a sense of gratitude.
Second, I expect the best; I expect to reach the goals I establish for myself. I find the idea of fulfilling those goals agreeable; hence, the attitude of expectancy. I know the world will give me back what I put out in the way of attitude, so it’s up to me. I’m responsible.
Remember this: Our environment, the world in which we live and work, is a mirror of our attitudes and expectations.”
Lead The Field, Earl Nightingale, p. 4-7.
