Philippians 2:14–15
Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world.
Have you ever experienced the same situation twice? If you have, did you respond okay one time, only to have been upset the next? If so, then you may have been overtaken by your attitude.
Our attitudes operate like a strong magnet in our lives.
They either attract or repel people. We as believers are tasked to be ambassadors for Christ. Also as entrepreneurs we must provide excellent service to our clients, and create a culture for our team, which can be employees or contracted resources, to enable and empower them to succeed. If we have a poor, negative or call it a low attitude, none of these things will be accomplished.
Attitude Affects Perceptions
Consider your attitude to be a type of primer. It ignites emotions, filters our perceptions, and acts like a fuel to our beliefs. So consider this: based on the previous statement, our attitudes determine if we will rise or fall.
Back when I left the Air Force, I initially had a hard time adjusting to working with “civilians.” I believed they had a bad attitude and were not willing to go the extra mile to get things done. I found out later their attitude towards me was just as narrow and wrong as mine. They believed I was sucking up to the managers and trying to make them look bad. Neither opinion was true, but both opinions were shaped by our attitudes towards our work and each other.
So what changed our opinions? We changed our attitudes towards each other.
First I had to recognize different didn’t mean bad. Then I started looking for the good things my coworkers were doing. What I learned is to never look at anything or anybody from one perspective, to keep an open mind, and remember no one is always right. In Proverbs 17:22 King Solomon said it this way; “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” By having a positive attitude, we were able to overcome our different opinions of each other.
Fixing Problems or Fixing Blame?
So when you look at what you want to do in your life, are you using your attitude to fix problems or to fix blame? The amazing thing is you can do both. You can have pockets of happiness but still be sad. It all goes towards what you determine you have control over. If your attitude enables you, then you can achieve success through every aspect of your life. If your attitude disables some areas of your life, you’ll have success in silos. Good results will only happen in areas where your attitude allows.
Paul the apostle tells us in Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” If we take the approach that everything we do is for the glory of God and not for man, including ourselves, we will by default have better attitudes.
So How Do You Fix Your Attitudes?
- First, you have to realize everyone is a work in progress. You have areas where your attitude needs work.
- Next, you have to realize you usually can’t see these areas, and certainly can’t fix them. This is where mentors and people you trust come into play. The flip side of having good people around you is to remove bad people.
A tree can’t grow in the wrong environment and neither can good attitudes.
- Finally, commit with your heart to change and accept the process. You will be challenged, frustrated and even feel powerless sometimes.
I know from personal experience and from the people we’ve helped you will see results. If you make positive changes in your attitude, you may be remembered like Tabitha in Acts 9:36; “Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did.”
About James R. Cooper
James R. Cooper is a Business Strategist, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Maxser Consulting Group, LLC, Pastor of Restoration International Christian Ministries and author of From Crackers to Caviar: A Guide to Personal Development. James is on the board of several non-profit organizations and is also a Goodwill Ambassador for UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. For more information about James, book him to speak at your next event, seminar, or workshop, go to www.fromcrackers2caviar.com or www.maxsergroup.com.
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