A Good Attitude
You’ve heard it before: attitude is everything. Whether you’re trying to make changes in your lifestyle, relationships, or career, the attitude you put into your effort determines your chances of success. But how do you change your attitude? These three killer strategies will enable you to zero in on realistic goals, step outside your own distorted perceptions and gain an accurate assessment of your progress.
Good Attitudes Start Small
Every January, health clubs and gyms report a massive spike in profits as folks kick off their New Year’s resolutions to work out regularly. Come March, those profits are dwindling, and by May, only the seasoned fitness buffs are sticking with their gym routines.
When you focus on a big lifestyle change, you burn out quickly. Challenging yourself to maintain a positive attitude towards a change doesn’t come easily even when you’re motivated. What’s going to happen on the first day you feel low-energy or are too busy? Your big lifestyle change will fall by the wayside.
Instead, focus on small changes. Whether you’re striving to eat less or saving up for a new home, break down your goal into small increments. It’s easier to maintain a positive attitude towards a small goal. Once you reach your goal, a surge of confidence will give your attitude a boost—and you can move onto the next goal.
Good Attitudes From Other’s Perceptions
You spend a lot of time in your own head—all the time, in fact. Your perception of the needed changes in your life could be seriously off-base. When looking to change something, you’ll maintain a more confident attitude if you start from a realistic perception.
Ask your friends, family and colleagues how they perceive you in the area you want to change. You may be surprised by their answers. Others may see you as aloof rather than shy, pushy rather than confident, or spontaneous rather than disorganized. When you ignore other’s perceptions, you might end up putting energy into changing your life in an unnecessary direction. Also, asking others for their perceptions sets the stage to ask for—and gracefully accept—help in reaching your goals.
For Good Attitudes Track Your Progress
How you feel about your progress is not always an accurate reflection of reality. When you’re feeling discouraged, you typically think that you’ve accomplished less than you actually have. If you allow your attitude towards change to be affected by your mood, you’ll be more likely to give up.
To get an accurate idea of the big picture and keep your attitude strong, track your progress. You could use a calendar, a chart or a notebook. Don’t get too fancy or spend hours looking for the perfect tracking system, as this can be a distraction from actually committing to the change. Start with something simple.
A visual record of your accomplishments helps you to maintain a positive attitude towards the desired change. It also shows you the investment you’ve already made, so that you’re less likely to quit.
If you put these 3 strategies into play, you’ll easily change your attitude. And when you’re in control of your attitude, you’ll find that you can create and maintain the change you want—in any area of your life.
