ATTITUDE: The Rights and Wrongs [OPINION]

Those who succeed have a certain type of mind. While it is true that they have ambition, vision and driving power, capacity for work, and a strong will they also seize each opportunity when it comes. They are always willing and ready. The main cause of their success can be found in their way of thinking. Whilst others can see the word IMPOSSIBLE, they don’t even understand the word. To them all they see is opportunity. They are success conscious people, who think in terms of success, abundance and prosperity.

As Buddha said, ‘A man is what he thinks all day long’, likewise their thoughts will manifest. Others will wonder as to how they seem to leap effortlessly across hurdles. While we cannot all make the top 100, most of us live well below our potential. We give up too soon and instead of putting in the required effort we opt for the easy way out which is settling for less. Through our mental attitude we can transcend to great heights. Those who think they can do it, indeed do it.

As Henry Ford put it when he said, “those who think they can't and those who think they can, they are both right”. Inside us we have great abilities that are incomprehensible. I am sure that each one of us has at some point done something in our lives we never thought possible. Not only did we surprise others but we surprised even ourselves! We did it because either we had to do it or we mentally pushed ourselves to do it. So it is not that we cannot do it, it is a matter of whether or not we think we can do it.

Thus our achievements are largely dependent on our mental attitude. Even if we fail to reach the moon, by adopting the ‘can do’ attitude we can at least reach the stars. My personal experience has revealed that the ‘can do’ attitude is fundamental in determining whether we get hold of our dreams or not. I have come across folks in life who work tirelessly, but yet are unsatisfied with their achievements. What was missing was just the right attitude.

Even if these people give all their strength in their work, their consciousness is one of poverty. All they talk of is how hard it is, how much scarcity there is in the world and how they will never be able to achieve their dreams. This then becomes a self fulfilling prophecy and according to their belief system so it becomes.

How then do we acquire the right attitude? Some people are naturally endowed with a ‘can do’ attitude, and regardless of the situation they just go for their dreams with little….. The majority of us however, have the ‘it is impossible’ attitude. In order to develop a new way of thinking, we must actively cultivate it. It’s about kicking off habits and questioning whether or not we really can’t do it. We got to ask the question, ‘why can’t I do it?’, ‘what is stopping me?’.

When we begin to question we may realise that the only thing stopping us is just our own limited way of thinking. Push yourself a bit further, and say to yourself, ‘even if I can’t do it, I am going to at least try.’ Set yourself challenges, instead of seeking the easy way out, take a challenge. You will surprise yourself by achieving it. And with one achievement behind you, your confidence sky rockets and gradually the ‘can do’ attitude will become a habit to you.

We must not forget however, that true success is based on service. In our quest to reach our dreams, we must think of others. What will your success bring to the lives of others? How are you going to benefit humankind?

This point is made clear by Wallace Wattles in the Science of Getting Rich when he stresses the importance of creativity and not competition. While money and fame are important, when we are of service we gain a unique satisfaction which no amount of money can afford to buy. This is true success, where we have both inner and outer satisfaction. All this can be achieved when we adopt the right attitude.
Written by Lillian Biodun