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PROGRAM D-6833
I’d like to ask a question: Do you live in a perfect world; have a perfect job? I don’t see any hands going up. That’s because we all have certain negatives in our everyday lives that we have to deal with. And those things affect our attitudes. I’m talking about how to keep our attitudes positive by periodically going through an attitude check-up. I suggested you make a list of the things that happen to you that tend to pull you from positive to negative territory.
Once you have that list, look at it and ask yourself this question:
1. What goes with my territory?
Some of the negatives on your list simply go with the job, whatever the job may be. Those are the ones you must learn to accept. They are not going away, and your only options are to constantly gripe, complain and be negative about them, or to accept them as those things that go with the territory. We all have them.
Then ask yourself:
2. If it doesn’t go with the territory, what could I do to try to change it so it’s no longer a negative pull?
If it’s a relationship problem, would you be willing to schedule a time to talk with that person in a relaxed, non-threatening environment, and just try to get to know him or her better? That almost always relieves a great deal of interpersonal problems.
If you think there’s a better way to do things, offer your suggestion in a constructive way. Even if it’s not your job, you can probably find a way to make a suggestion that might change that particular negative or eliminate it. It’s worth a try.
Most of the complaining talk you and I hear comes from people who haven’t done a thing to try to solve the problem, but they sure are free with their complaints and criticism. If you don’t have a solution, or haven’t offered your solution, you shouldn’t be griping and complaining about the problem.
After you’ve asked those two questions, ask yourself:
3. Have I lost my perspective on any of these negative pulls?
There’s a good chance that you’re allowing some very small things to cause you great negative damage. Ask yourself, “What difference will this make in 24 hours?” Pray that you will not over-react or allow minor things to become major.
If you will make your list, and then ask those three questions, you’ve taken step number two toward getting that attitude back in positive territory and keeping it there.