Today Matters, Decision #1 ATTITUDE

1. Decision #1 ATTITUDE: “Today’s attitude gives me possibilities”
Choose and display the right attitudes daily.

Sigmund Freud was successful but had a bad attitude, yet he did not enjoy life. Used drugs, saw life as barren of joys. He chose his discontent.
Your attitude at the beginning of a task affects the outcome more than anything else,
Confident person increases his chances for success, while the pessimist decreases his chances for success.
When facing a task you don’t enjoy: Focus on facts not your feelings; Focus on possibilities not problems.
Joe Lewis knocked by Gelento. “You’re suppose to stay down for a full count. What, and give him a chance to rest.”
Secret weapon. It’s contagious.
Two types of people: Polluters and Purifiers. Some make the atmosphere worse while others make it better, no matter how bad it was.
How do people respond to you? Do they leave happy or sad?
“I’m going to keep a positive attitude and influence others

How to develop a great attitude:
1) Take responsibility for your attitude.
Does John make you happy? No. I thought it was his job to make me happy. But nobody can make someone else happy. That’s my job.
2) Decide to change your bad attitude areas.
Lucy: Boy, do I feel crabby. Linus: Watch TV while I make you a sandwich. Anything else I can do to make you feel better? Lucy: I don’t want to feel better.
Many things can’t be changed, but you can change your attitude
3) Think, act, talk, conduct yourself like the person you want to become
See yourself as you can be and act like that person.
Start with your mind. Believe you can become what you want to be.
4) Develop a high appreciation for life
Old lady going into nursing home. Attendant describes her room. I love it. But you haven’t seen it yet. I don’t have to. That has nothing to do with it. Happiness is something you decide upon ahead of time.
John Wooden: “Things turn out the best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.”

How to Manage this decision: Make adjustments every day to keep my attitude right.
1) Realize that your attitude will need to be adjusted every day.
Your attitude will not naturally be positive but will continually go bad.
It will not take care of itself; it needs to be taken care of daily
Start each day with an attitude check
2) Find something positive in everything
“Dear Lord, so far today I have been doing all right. I have not gossiped, lost my temper, been greedy, grumpy, nasty selfish or self-indulgent. I haven’t whined, cursed or eaten any chocolate. But I am going to get out of bed in a few minutes, and I will need a lot more help after that. Amen.”
3) Find someone positive in every situation.
Seek out positive people and get around them. Two positive people can handle negative situations much easier than one.
4) Remove negative words from your vocabulary
Pay someone for each time they catch you using negative words
Get rid of these words: Can’t, if only, I don’t think, don’t have time, maybe
Replace them with these words: Can, will, I know, I’ll make time, absolutely