Your Attitude Counts More Than Your Aptitude

Your Attitude Counts More than Your Aptitude

A lot of people have tricked themselves into thinking that for them to make any kind of fundamental positive change in their lives, they have to learn certain things. For example, if you are struggling with finances and you don’t have a college degree, it’s very easy for you to say to yourself, “Well, the only way I can really get a leg up in my career is to get that four-year degree. Since I’m too old and I already have kids or you have a long laundry list of other reasons, you just basically say to yourself, “Well, I’m screwed. That’s not an option. The college degree is unattainable so here I am, I’m stuck forever.”

 

What you’re looking at is not reality. It’s your take on reality. Your thoughts are not real – they are your perceptions and interpretation of events that occur. Your analysis of reality is not reality itself and is really just a reflection of your attitude.

 

If you think that aptitude is the way forward to all of life, you’re wrong. In most cases, employers are more likely to take chances on people with the right attitude than the ones with all the qualifications. I have seen employers who struggle in wanting to hire the most ablest candidate but overlook their attitude and regret that decision later.

 

These people may seem perfect on paper but if their attitude is wrong, then it’s like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. I’m sure it’s possible after enough pushing but it’s not all that efficient. It may also be planting the seeds for future destruction. Most people would simply not do it.

 

This is why it really boils down to attitude. If you have the right attitude, don’t worry about not having the technical know-how. That will come. You will find a way. The key is do you believe in yourself enough to want to find the way?

 

If you think that everything has been closed off to you, and you are essentially just a very limited person because other people have it in for you and are conspiring against you, believe me, it doesn’t really matter what your aptitude is. You might even be the smartest person in the room but if you have that attitude of persecution and you feel that possibilities are always closed off, you will always remain stuck.

 

On the other hand, if you know that you don’t know certain things but you have the right attitude, you will make things happen. Maybe you would take night classes. Perhaps you would take online classes. Possibly, you would partner up with another person to get into some sort of semi-formal or informal apprenticeship. Even reading books, such as on leadership or mindset or a topic of interest, will raise your knowledge and skills. There are many ways to skin a cat, so to speak. It all boils down to your willingness to even try.

 

The problem with rigid or negative attitudes is that you basically end up robbing yourself of possibilities. You basically tell yourself, “Well, there’s only one way to achieve a certain outcome. Since that path is somehow some way off-limits to me, then this means I have no hope.” Who told you that’s the only way forward?

 

When you look at the careers of a lot of successful people on the planet, it turns out that a lot of them started out as janitors. A lot of them were illiterate. A lot of them were poor. A lot of them were immigrants with not even a penny to their name. Many were told that they would never make it but they did – look at the Wright Brothers, Benjamin Franklin or Wat Disney. Even J.K. Rowling was turned down by 12 publishers before the Harr Potter series – and conglomerate – were birthed.

 

Attitude counts more than aptitude. If you allow yourself to believe that you can achieve, then anxiety and constantly feeling that the best things in life have already been taken or that there all these barriers arrayed against you, things become wide open. You start seeing the possibilities. The opportunities become manifested and, before you know it, the way forward presents itself. You find yourself at the right place with the right people at the right time doing the right things.

 

Having an idea, going after it, and then never being deterred will lead to success – it all starts with having the right attitude. Begin, today, to turn yours to  positives – affirmations, mindfulness, and positive self-talk can get you on the right path, so start today!

 

Be Accepting of Yourself While Striving for Greatness

There is absolutely no way for you to be successful and reach your goals until you accept who you are. You have to like yourself and what you do before anyone else will.

The world detects how you feel about yourself and often simply shares the opinion you have about who you are. It is said that what you put out is what you attract; so, if you are not kind and compassionate to yourself, then you will be coming from a low level of vibration which will show up in all areas of your life, especially in your work.

When you are at a lower level, stress and anxiety are free to creep in which can lead to a host of mental, physical, and emotional troubles. Productivity and time management decline, behavioral issues may arise (i.e. irritability, conflict, etc.), and disengagement to some level occurs.

But, it doesn’t have to be that way. Whether you realize it or not, you do have control over your thoughts and actions so you step into your greatness. You must be yourself and free yourself in the process.

You are an individual who is unique. Your talents and abilities, you intelligence and interests, you opinions and tastes, make you who you are. There is no need to hide a part of yourself or alter a part of yourself for the sake of conformity. True success is about freedom and all truly successful people are individualists who have, more or less, accepted and glorified who they are. You should do the same.

At the same time, being yourself does not mean glorying in mediocrity. You need to be the very best version of yourself possible. This means that you have to work at being you.

You have to put the time into self-improvement. If you want to be great, you have to take daily actions that lead you there. Acceptance is not an excuse for laziness, cowardice or fear. Life is a privilege. It is a gift.

The gift and the privilege of life is that you get to be yourself, the best self you can possibly be. Use the gift; take advantage of the privilege that you’ve been given every day. Take time to breathe, to plan, to visualize, and to work on becoming the best version of you so you become great.

 

            “To increase your effectiveness, make your emotions subordinate to         your commitments” (Brian Koslow)

 

Don’t squander the chance. Let your own unique light shine forth. This is the light that will illuminate the path to real success in life. It will also be the light that attracts other people to you and shines the way to greatness.

 

Professional Development Starts with Personal Development

Professional development is critical to ensuring that your skills and aptitudes are at their highest. Just like an athlete has to condition themselves for playing on the field or running a marathon, workers need to do the same.
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Professional development involves taking the skills you use most often and focusing on them, so that they are at their highest; it also involves learning new skills or knowledge that will enhance what you currently know. This is what leads to being a high performer – never thinking you know everything or being satisfied; it’s recognizing that there is always something to be learned and then putting the new-found information into practice.
Professional development, however, begins with personal development. This is where you work on yourself, i.e. the ‘inner workings,’ if you will. Understanding yourself is the key to success. It’s the ‘how’s’ and ‘why’s’ of why you do what you do. Areas to work on include:

  • perceptions and expectations
  • attitude
  • communication skills
  • conflict management (including resolution)
  • drives and motivations
  • values
  • habits
  • beliefs

All of these drive your behaviors, especially looking at your perceptions and expectations, which then lead to beliefs, which, ultimately, drive your behaviors and the other items on the list above. It’s also about managing them, ala being emotionally intelligent. Working on these areas will help you to be more effective in all you do, no matter what environment or situation you find yourself in. You will have more effective relationships, as you will be more open to others, have more empathy, listening more and then regulating your responses to what you hear and see.
How do you develop personally? It’s no different than steps you would take in your professional life:

  • read books on mindset, self-esteem, communication, etc.
  • listen to TED Talks, podcasts, or audio books
  • attend networking meetings or join groups on a specific area
  • go to a seminar or workshop
  • journal daily to uncover your thoughts/feelings and set daily goals
  • read motivational quotes that lift you up
  • work with a coach, who can help you to uncover negative patterns and help you develop new, more positive skills

Enhancing your personal development will lead you to being at your best; this, then, leads to you being your best in your professional life. After all, you are the same person in both arenas. Bringing out your best will lead to more success and a more fulfilled life overall.
If you’re ready to be your best, let’s talk!
Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting focuses on workplace happiness and organizational success. If you need help gaining clarity on your business or career goals, why not get some help – stop the struggle and call today to get started! https://cyscoaching.com or barbara@cyscoaching.com. For more great tips, visit our other blog at https://allaboutcareersites.com

Confidence is a Mindset

How confident do you feel on a daily basis? Do you feel confident in work but not in your personal life, or vice-versa? How can you get more of it so you can go after the very things you say you want?
Confidence is a self-belief in your abilities and talents; it means that, no matter what, you act on what you think is right and true. It also means that the achievements you’ve had build your self-esteem and self-efficacy so that you won’t hesitate when the next achievement comes up.
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Confidence starts in the mind and with the stories you tell yourself, which then turn into beliefs. It’s the beliefs that hold us and can be difficult to change. Someone can tell you that you are the best leader, speaker, dancer, etc. but, if you don’t fundamentally think so, then it won’t matter what they say. So how do you build confidence, or is it even possible to do so?
Yes, it is possible but it means retraining your brain, which is like a muscle – the more you exercise it, the more it will build and work favorably:

  • begin to be aware of your self-talk, as this is the culprit for our problems; if you keep repeating words you’ve either heard, or attach to yourself, the more those become your beliefs (‘you’re so stupid’ ‘you’ll never get that promotion’ ‘you’re so lazy’ and the like). It may be helpful to write these messages down to make you more aware of when you’re saying them
  • reframing those negatives into positives will strengthen the parts of the brain responsible for emotion and thought. By reframing them, it works to see that your thoughts are not black or white thinking; for example, the ‘you’re so lazy’ thought can now become ‘you’re not lazy; sure, there are times when you procrastinate on a task but think of how fearful you are that you might mess it up and disappoint someone. But remember times when you pushed past a fear and made something happen’
  • go back and write past successes so you can see that you have the ability to reach your goals, no matter how big or small; write your ‘wins’ each day, to build off them. The more you do this, the stronger those positive thoughts will be the norm

Confidence is needed in all areas of your life – in your relationships, as a parent, as a worker, as a leader – I could go on. Once confidence is there, the more you will achieve; nothing can stop you from going higher and higher in what you can do.
Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting focuses on workplace happiness and organizational success. If you need help gaining clarity on your business or career goals, why not get some help – stop the struggle and call today to get started! https://www.cyscoaching.com or barbara@cyscoaching.com. Visit our other blog at https://cysoaching .com or https://allaboutcareersites.com
 

Inspiration Can Be Found Everywhere

I absolutely love motivational/inspirational quotes, and have quite a collection of them.  They raise the emotional level to keep focused on the positive thoughts, not negative ones. To me, they make you want to do and be more.
I found this great find as it is a inspirational journal – each page has a different quote on it, plus room to write on. I can either write about the meaning of the quote, as well as how it can inspire me to be better or to act on what I found the meaning is.
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What a great find – to have a quote and a journal in one! As we go on during the (often) drudgery of our day, there are times that we need help to keep positive and inspired to keep focused on our tasks. The quotes are one way; the journal is another as you can write about events in your day, make your to-do lists or, better yet, work on your gratitude. These are easy ways to brain-dump and make sense of things to keep you going, when you may feel like saying ‘screw it.’
There are many places to find inspirational quotes: in books, on the web (just google it and see how many), social media (Facebook, Pinterest) – even homegoods and clothing has quotes on them. Whichever way you choose, find them. Start a collection of them. Make your own (Canva). Keep the inspiration around you and watch how much more positive and productive you are. As Earl Nightingale says, “We become what we think about.”
Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting focuses on workplace happiness and organizational success. If you need help gaining clarity on your business or career goals, why not get some help – stop the struggle and call today to get started! https://www.cyscoaching.com or barbara@cyscoaching.com
 

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