I’ve been called an ‘optimist’ plenty of times in my life. It’s often a compliment but not always. People have rolled their eyes at me and wondered out loud how I could have possibly turned something negative into a positive.
But here’s the thing: not everything rolls off my shoulders. Sometimes it takes me a while to shake something off and see the good in what’s happened. But, more and more, I see the value in doing this: looking for the good even when it’s difficult. That’s because attitude — and positive energy — can make a world of difference to your day, your week, your month… your life.
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“The Energy Bus” by Jon Gordon
Through his story, it’s easy to see how we can be run down by negativity but also how we easily we can overcome it too, simply be changing the way we react and respond to what happens to us. “Every flat tire happens for a reason. You can choose to ignore it or ask what that reason is and try to learn from it,” Gordon writes. “You can choose to see the curse or the gift. And this one choice will determine if your life is a success story or one big soap opera.” (pg 7)
It almost sounds too good to be true doesn’t it? That simply shifting the way you react and respond to things can make such a drastic difference in your life as well as your work? But it is that simple… with a few ‘rules’ to help you out from Joy, the driver of the ‘energy bus.’ I won’t detail all ten rules that the book gives out, because I think it’s worth reading for yourself. (Plus, it’s an easy quick read anyway).
But everything truly boils down to the first rule: you are the driver of your own bus. You determine how you react to a situation. No one else does. Two people can experience the same exact situation; one can walk away declaring ‘woe is me,’ while the other asks, ‘what can I learn from this situation?’
The story also delves into how this positive energy and positive attitude can impact your business, and it’s an adage I’ve heard time and time again: “People do business with people they like and who love them. The more love you put out the more that comes back to you.” (page 116).
So really, as the Beatles once sang, all you need is love.
Some may call the book hokey, or overly optimistic, but I disagree. Attitude is everything. At the end of the day the only question is: are you going to be someone who focuses on the negative? Or looks for the good? Your answer to that will make a world of difference in your work and your life
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