Attitude is 100 percent of everything you do!
After more than two decades of speaking to people about the power of attitude, I know that a positive attitude is your most priceless possession, one of your most valuable assets. To a great extent, it determines the overall quality of your life.
Attitude Is Everything grew out of my desire to share the truths I’ve learned about the life-transforming power of attitude with individuals who will never have an opportunity to hear me speak at corporate conferences and national conventions. Since it was first published in 2000, the world as we once knew it has been irrevocably changed. For many of us, events of September 11, major corporate scandals, the economic downturn, and the constant threat of terrorism have shattered our ideals and caused us to lose confidence in institutions we once respected.
In this climate of uncertainty, I am convinced more than ever that people need to know how to control and manage the quality of their lives through a positive mental attitude. It’s no secret that life seems to reward us most when we approach the world with a positive attitude. But somehow this knowledge escapes us when we experience a setback or encounter adversity.
I am often asked if a person’s attitude is predisposed or if it can be developed. Without question, attitudes are developed. The great psychologist-philosopher William James said, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that people can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.” I can say that one of the greatest realizations of our time is that everyone has the potential to improve the quality of their personal and professional lives; however, they must first be willing to acquire the skills that will guide them to a place of self-discovery where they can tap into the power of their positive attitude. You may not be able to change your height or your body type, but you can change your attitude. Each of us has the power to develop and maintain a positive attitude that works for us, that improves the quality of our lives and enables us to accomplish our life objectives. Your attitude should be an indication of where you desire to go in life and not a reflection of what you’ve been through. Change your attitude and you can change your life!
No matter how old you are, your current position or station in life, your gender, or marital status, a positive attitude can make an incredible difference in your life and in the lives of others. In the chapters that follow, I give you the tools you need to develop and maintain a positive attitude; the ten steps for turning attitude into action focus on the fundamental principles of self-development and personal growth. The theme that runs through these steps, like a single strand through fabric, is that in learning to monitor and control your attitude, you can begin to increase the quality of your personal and professional life.
As you step out to enrich your life, allow Attitude Is Everything to be your blueprint. By applying the principles, you have a daily resource and support system that will provide you with enhanced step-by-step instructions for improving the overall quality of your personal and professional life.
Remember that real wealth is measured not by what you have, not by where you are, but by the spirit that lives within you. Success is an attitude. I wish you a super-fantastic journey as you discover that Attitude…is everything.
Keith Harrell