Do You Have the Right Attitude?

A classic test in psychoanalysis is the one where a person must respond to an image of a glass of water. “Is the glass half empty or is the glass half full?” the analyst asks. A “half empty” response reveals an overwhelmingly pessimistic attitude. But “half full” shows that the person looks toward the brighter side of things.

When writing, or approaching anything else in life, our attitude toward it makes all the difference. Are you pessimistically looking at the obstacles or optimistically anticipating the outcome?

A surprising reward is that being optimistic is contagious. All it takes is a little enthusiasm to get others around you to respond the same way. Pretty soon, you have an outpouring of “positivity” around you, which can give you the energy you need to get things done. (Recently, I added a little “Yay!” to the end of all of my meetings. Pretty soon, my team joined me in this corporate cheerleading—and our work has gone to a whole new level.)

The Bible instructs that as Christians, we are to have an optimistic attitude in all things. Proverbs 17:22 says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” The message is clear—a positive attitude brings life, and a negative one is destructive.

I’m choosing the right attitude. How about you?