10 Status Quo Rules All ExceptionZ Break!...Rule#5

Rule # 5 is a Biggy, It's all about Attitude... I've heard it said that Attitude isn't everything, but it's usually the Difference Maker!

5. Status quo reacts and allows their circumstances to control their Attitude;ExceptionZ pro-act to allow their attitudes to have greater influence on better circumstances…

What you feed your mind with, is what you will feed your world through your attitude, and what you feed your world with, is the exact same response that your world will give you.

William James, Founder of Psychology in America said, “Human Beings can alter their lives, by altering their attitude of mind”.

Questions for us to consider:

What are feelings towards having a positive versus negative attitude?
Do you think there are circumstances to terrible to shift our attitude?
If so, what are your thoughts about Holocaust survivor and author Victor Frankl who said, “The last of human freedoms – is the ability to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.” He also said, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

Tags: Attitude, ExceptionZ, Success, Winning

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Camden Ross on February 1, 2012 at 6:03am

Hi Randell,

My feelings on attitude (answer to #1) are between the "false hype" and the "depressing". I stand by the idea that positive thinking doesn't "magically cause good things to happen" (like much of the teachings behind the Secret and its counterparts), while a negative attitude will never result in positive results. A positive attitude opens the door for positive results, but it doesn't cause them.

All of our circumstances have the ability to shift our attitude, but our attitude is always our choice. If we choose to let our circumstance determine our attitude all the time we would likely be diagnosed as bi-polar or something similar because of how random and extreme our feelings can be at times. What we always need to remember is that if we are facing a negative circumstance, it has something we must learn hidden within it. Once we have learned the truth, while our circumstance might not change immediately, our outlook will have changed and we can move more quickly through it.

I am not very familiar with Victor Frankl, but I believe I remember hearing that it took him many weeks or months of being bitter and depressed before realizing the truth hidden in his horrible situation/circumstance. He didn't enter the concentration camps with this attitude and realization of the power behind our freedom of choice.

While we cannot control our circumstances, we can control our focus, and by controlling where we focus, we can move forward, learn, grow, and overcome anything that circumstance has thrown our way.

~Cam

Permalink Reply by Rob Clinton on February 1, 2012 at 6:25am

This also reminds me of Kent's E + R = O... Events + Response = Outcome.... The only thing we can control is our response to every given situtation or not... No matter how difficult the circumstance, I think in the end the choice lives with us. How we Respond... Which is basically what Frankl did... He chose his response, and had a rippling effect on people, including the guards.

Positive thinking doesn't cause magic, but it does create the spark... And invites more positive and "productive" thinking. The way we think is powerful... It can make us or it can break us...

Permalink Reply by Kent Julian on February 1, 2012 at 6:57am

I love what Charles Swindoll said about attitude:

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill… The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. Nor can we change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We also cannot change the inevitable. The only thing that we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you—we are in charge of our attitude.

Attitude is a BIG deal. It doesn't make magical things happen, but it's a way to make "magic" out of anything that God allows to enter our lives. God is sovereign and determines 100 percent what will happen in our lives; but he also holds us 100 percent accountable for how we respond to what He allows in our lives. The right attitude helps us respond well no matter what He decided to allow in our lives.

But the way, I write a TON about attitude in my new book. Yes, a shameless plug, but it's worth the investment even if you're not a teenager :)

Permalink Reply by Rob Clinton on February 3, 2012 at 12:59pm

Man that was Right on! Kent, awesome quote from Charles Swindoll... If our attitude can help us make great use out of whatever God allows into our lives, I guess that's another way of saying, "through our attitude and how we choose to respond to everything, we can become great stewards."

Permalink Reply by Marianne Clements on February 1, 2012 at 1:47pm

Randell,

I believe that faith and a positive attitude go hand in hand. If we have a negative attitude, we are not acting in faith. We can't control our circumstances, but we can control our attitude or reponse to them.

Have a Victorious Day!

Marianne Clements

www.VictoryChristianCoaching.com

Permalink Reply by Rob Clinton on February 3, 2012 at 1:03pm

Absolutely Marianne! I think alot of people view having a "positive attitude" as being fluffy, unrealistic, and not awake to the reality of life. However, I think the positive attitude is a reflection of someone who allows faith to come through, it's a reflection of hope. That even in the midst of darkness, and trial, one can kind still find peace by choosing their own response.

Permalink Reply by Randell Mark Olson on February 2, 2012 at 4:44am

One of the mysterious things about attitude is that in a way it's self fulfilling. It seems that as soon as I start to change the way I think, or even feel about any given situation, the situation itself, or at least my perception of it actually changes.

Personal example: 2 days ago the heater core went out on my wife's Expedition. Two mechanics I talked to won't even touch it, and the third wanted $1200.00. The heater core itself will cost about $50.00. Everything I've seen online says plan on about 7 to 10 hours labor if you know what you're doing.

The $1200.00 option is not a pill I'm going to swallow right now especially since our business is a little slow right now, so I'm doing it myself. Guess what I am actually looking forward to it....WHY? because I'll have probably 12 hours of fantastic podcast time, I will also replace all of the instrument panel light bulbs, because a couple of them have been burned out, and the entire dashboard including the steering column needs to be removed.

Three reasons I'm anxious to work on this:

1. Repair a few things that have been broken

2. Have a little change of pace from my normal routine

3. Tons and Tons of great podcast listening

4. The Bonus!!! Great Learning Experience! (Kent always gives bonuses I figured I should too)

BOY! This sure beats a Crappy attitude...a little sprinkle of positive attitude changes the whole flavor of a tough situation!

Permalink Reply by Camden Ross on February 2, 2012 at 5:37am

Enjoy all the Podcasts. I just finished catching up last week from the queue that built up over my Christmas vacation.

I remember the great learning that I experienced changing out things on my old car, and the change of pace is nice, not to mention that $1200 for 10 hours is a pretty good rate -- $120/h. :)

~Cam

Permalink Reply by Rob Clinton on February 3, 2012 at 1:10pm

Sweet Randell! Go get'em... Definitely beats the Crap out of a Crappy Attitude! :-)

Permalink Reply by Randell Mark Olson on February 2, 2012 at 5:48am

Cam, Good point on the time thing. I could add a 5th reason...reason #5. I could say that I'm making $120.00 per/hour if it takes me 10hours. Actually I am a big fan of doing what your best at and hire someone else to do what they're best at, but if I'm not out producing revenue, I might as well save some by doing this myself.

This Attitude thing really Works!

Permalink Reply by Camden Ross on February 2, 2012 at 5:57am

The rate that your saving is pretty nice. It's unlikely your business when it is 'slow' or 'busy' translates to that rate so it is an excellent tradeoff. ;)

However, like you mentioned, I am a huge fan of 'outsourcing' to get things that I am not good at done better.

~Cam

Permalink Reply by Marianne Clements on February 2, 2012 at 6:14am

Randell,

Sounds like a big job, but if you feel led to do it then go for it!

Have a Victorious Day!

Marianne Clements

www.VictoryChristianCoaching.com