Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Isaiah J. Roberts
Outline
I. Introduction
A. A positive attitude
B. A negative attitude
B. Adjust one’s attitude to look for the best, and move past the negative
V. Summary
The Attitude Factor 3
Abstract
Attitude is the constant factor in each decision a person makes in every area of their lives.
Attitude defines a person’s perception of reality, influencing their response to every situation.
People’s attitude toward learning shapes their entire future, whether for good or for bad.
Relationships rely on the attitude of the individuals involved; when negativity is input in a
relationship, the same will be returned, just as positive offerings yield good results. Each
individual’s success in life is dependent upon his or her approach to work, learning, and failure.
Approaching each of these areas with a positive attitude is vital; a positive attitude leads to
success, negativity leads to obscurity. It is possible for anyone to develop a positive attitude
through careful examination of his or her outlook and making the decision to adjust their
mindset.
The Attitude Factor 4
Introduction
The effects of attitude reach deeply into a person’s life. Attitude is a constant factor in all
areas of life. The attitude one has toward gaining knowledge affects the quality of lifelong
learning (Awe, 2010). Relationships depend on the attitude one has concerning others (Batra,
2007). Within the workplace, one’s attitude also influences job performance (Yehuda, 2009).
Attitude remains a constant force, influencing decisions and forming worldviews. The purpose
of this paper is to describe the differences between positive and negative attitudes, their effects
on a person’s life, and to explain the steps to building a positive life attitude. Attitude affects all
areas of one’s life, including lifelong learning, relationships, or success in the workplace.
Building a positive attitude is the responsibility of each individual; the process may be difficult,
yet the benefits of changing one’s attitude are outstanding. Attitude determines one’s success;
To understand the difference between a positive and a negative attitude, first one must
position” (Cayne, 1992, p. 60). One’s mind forms a position, and evaluates events according to
this position. When examining a given event, the reality of the situation one sees from the
perspective of an individual’s attitude. “Humans are naturally opinionated. We form likes and
dislikes almost from the moment we first gain consciousness. Our stances on issues and our
attitudes about things are directly linked to our innermost thoughts and feelings” (Spaulding,
2008). Thus, a person’s ideals and backgrounds can influence their attitude toward reality. A
perpetual negative attitude may be caused by an adverse upbringing; likewise, a good childhood
A Positive Attitude
Those who maintain a positive attitude are optimists. The saying “every cloud has a silver
lining” could be an optimist’s motto. Because of their positive outlook toward all aspects of life,
optimists are generally successful in their endeavors, because they refuse to let failure stop them.
To this group, failure is simply another step in the process of succeeding. When discussing the
long list of failed experiments involved in finding a suitable filament for his electric light bulb,
Thomas Edison stated, “If I find 10,000 ways something won't work, I haven't failed. I am not
discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward” (Edison, 2010).
Edison was among the most famous inventors in the world, yet he was reported to have tried two
thousand different materials to build his electric light bulb. His attitude toward his work allowed
him to succeed. Edison, and others like him, wanted the best for their lives; they refused to settle
A Negative Attitude
Those who have negative attitudes are pessimists. Their attitude toward learning,
relationships, and work build barriers to positive events. Pessimists allow even small issues to
For example, they go to make coffee and find there is none left. They start the day by
sarcastically thinking, “Oh great, this going to be a good day”. Then, for the remainder of
the day, they allow minor inconveniences, unexplained challenges, or other less than
ideal events to reinforce their original negative thought (Pulsifer, 2008 page or
paragraph).
This negativity is an obstacle to success. One must consciously make the decision to change
one’s attitude, and take steps to make that change happen to overcome this barrier (Gracia, 2010,
The Attitude Factor 6
page or paragraph).
Attitude, whether positive or negative, affects one’s life through one’s decisions, and
reactions. This section describes three of the most important areas of life in which a positive
attitude is necessary. Pastor and Teacher, Charles Swindoll, realized the impact attitude had on
…I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my
successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me, or say about me, my
progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitudes are right, there’s
no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for
Maintaining a positive attitude strengthens one to work through any difficulty and succeed in any
positive attitude increases a person’s learning potential, whereas a negative attitude will often
cause one’s efforts to fail. One’s attitude in approaching learning is the most important aspect in
the process.
Approach learning with a positive attitude. One should daily be learning new things,
new skills, and new ideas. A positive attitude toward education is vital to learning. As Jide Awe
stated, “You absolutely must be willing to learn and you must love learning” (Awe, 2010,
The Attitude Factor 7
paragraph). This attitude towards learning greatly benefits those who choose it. By electing to
love learning, one will work harder to gain knowledge. Hard earned knowledge is precious to
Keeping a positive attitude toward learning continues past the high school and college
years, extending throughout one’s career, and even into retirement. Learning is necessary;
therefore, a positive attitude toward learning is equally necessary. Lifelong learning takes many
forms, whether training for a job, figuring out how a particular DVD player works, or learning to
bake bread. In any situation, the attitude one holds toward learning will dictate the level of
success. Fore example, beekeeping is a risky business, and it is likely that a hive will fail during
the first two years; yet the best beekeepers learn from their losses, and begin building a new
colony (M. Adamson, personal communication, February 17 2010). By always looking for the
best aspects in an experience, even a failure can become simply another step in the process of
Seek out new skills. Because of the importance with lifelong learning, one cannot simply
wait for learning opportunities to come along. Being proactive in gaining new skills beyond
one’s job description may result in a promotion or possibly a new career. For example, a young
man in seminary worked for a construction company to pay his tuition. His job consisted of
cleanup detail, yet he spent extra time after his shift learning how to lay tile from a master
craftsman. Many of the best contractors seek his skills out, because he spent extra time learning
to become more than just a good craftsman: he became the best (R. Clum, personal
communication, February 28, 2010). One establishes hobbies by learning new skills (e.g.,
woodworking, drawing, or a new sport). Knowledge of history and mathematics is useful, and
quite interesting. Letting a persons skills stagnate only serves to hurt their chances for success.
The Attitude Factor 8
Success requires one to continually build skills and knowledge. Allowing one’s attitude toward
A person’s attitude toward others impacts the quality of their relationships. When one
Benefit others through one’s actions. “Actions speak louder than words” (Unknown), as
the saying goes. One’s actions, and the attitude behind those actions, greatly influence one’s
Through positive attitudes, and positive actions, it is simpler to build up trust and strong ties with
If we were to start thinking of what we can do for others instead of thinking about what
others can do for us, we will be in better control of our lives. For instance, instead of
asking what your parents, spouse, children or siblings can do for you, you should try and
do as much as one can for them. You'll empower yourself by adding strength to your
Spending extra time looking for ways to help close friends and family will strengthen one’s
relationships. This shows others that one is sincerely concerned for their comfort and happiness.
Relationships extend past one’s personal life; a good attitude in the workplace eases tension with
coworkers.
Keep a good attitude toward coworkers. Tension is the workplace can strain coworker
relationships. The rigors of daily work incur stress, and without a conscious decision to have a
positive attitude, one easily slips into negativity. This stands in the way of effective
communication with coworkers. Without correction, a negative attitude will hurt professional
The Attitude Factor 9
relationships. Those who choose to cultivate a positive attitude are team players; they build up
their coworkers and work hard. (Allgeyer, 2010, Lose the Bad Attitude at Work). These positive
qualities, resulting from a good attitude, greatly enhance a person’s effectiveness and success.
The effect of attitude on effectiveness and success is enormous. When a person works
hard, with a good attitude, their influence reaches beyond the immediate area. This concept is
discussed in the Bible: “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he
will not serve before obscure men. (Proverbs 22:29 New International Version). Success
demands that one go above the established norms. One of these norms is the acceptance of
failure.
Learn from failure. Failure is an inevitable part of life. Even among the most famous
men in history, one finds evidence of many failed ideas and inventions. Perhaps the most famous
of these is Thomas Edison, the renowned inventor of the electric light bulb, among other
inventions. Though he was a demanding employer, he did not resent failure in his staff. He saw
failure as another step in the process of solving a problem (M.I.T, 2010, Thomas Alva Edison).
Edison held 1,093 patents at the time of his death, yet failure was an everyday part of his life.
The difference between successful and ineffective people is their attitude toward work and
failure.
The people who are successful in this life believe that failure is not an option. Whether in
their personal or professional life, if they are knocked down, they make the conscious
choice to get back up. No matter the cost, they continue to move straight ahead instead of
worry about past mistakes and wallow in their misery. That is what is the difference
between successful people and those that continue to fail (Smith, 2010, Failure is Not an
The Attitude Factor 1
0
Option).
Success happens when a person refuses to let failure rule their life. Looking for the hidden
blessing in the midst of a failure is a characteristic of one who works with a positive attitude.
Work with a positive attitude. Success in the workplace is entirely dependent on the
attitude that one has toward work. Working with a negative attitude serves to hurt one’s
productivity. The effect of adjusting one’s attitude to be positive is enormous; one will be able
to work much more efficiently and produce high quality results (Oneng, 2010, Attitude
Adjustment: Ways to Transform Your Career). Maintaining a positive attitude at work is crucial
to success; unfortunately, 19% of workers see employment as nothing more than a source of
income, another 15% actively dislike with their work (Tischler, 2005, Attitude Adjustment).
According to Tamara Erickson, investing one’s mental energy into one’s work is essential to
productivity (Management Issues, 2005). The American Time Use Survey found that the
average person spent 8.8 hours at work, or related activities (2009). One spends approximately
one third of one’s life working; yet, 34% of the workforce maintain negative attitudes toward
their occupation. Employers carry the blame for enforcing negativity toward work (Tischler,
2005, Attitude Adjustment); however, the original attitude of the workers is the root of the
problem. There is one answer to this negativity; individuals must adjust their own attitude
toward work (Young, 2004, Attitude Adjustment: Ways to Transform Your Career).
To have a positive life attitude, first one must invest time and effort into building this attitude.
Overcoming a negative attitude is difficult; however, once accomplished, one may reap the
Positive attitude helps to cope more easily with the daily affairs of life. It brings optimism
The Attitude Factor 1
1
into your life, and makes it easier to avoid worry and negative thinking. If you adopt it as
a way of life, it will bring constructive changes into your life, and makes them happier,
brighter and more successful. With a positive attitude you see the bright side of life,
become optimistic and expect the best to happen. It is certainly a state of mind that is well
worth developing and strengthening (Sasson, 2009, The Power of a Positive Attitude).
The first step in the process of changing one’s attitude is to examine the attitude, to determine
Changing one’s life attitude from negative to positive is not easy. Close examination of
one’s feelings and reactions is necessary. A good first step is to examine one’s focus. Mary
Misciscin uses the example of two adults, Sylvia and Jack. Both receive an invitation to a
wedding, but their attitudes vary drastically. Sylvia immediately thinks of all the aspects of
weddings she dislikes (e.g., tacky wedding music, terrible food, having to talk to boring people),
already decidedly unhappy about the wedding. Jack, on the other hand, decides to have a
positive attitude. He starts thinking of the fun he can have at the wedding (e.g., dancing, eating
cake, meeting new people). Jack had already examined his feelings, and decided beforehand to
have a good attitude, no matter what happened. When they went to the wedding, they both found
exactly what they had expected. Sylvia had a terrible time, refusing to allow herself any
enjoyment. In contrast, Jack enjoyed every moment of the wedding, taking pleasure from the
experience (Miscisin, 2002, Alter Your Life by Your Attitude). Had Sylvia examined her
attitude, she would have realized that her focus was on having a bad time. The difference
between having a bad time and a good one is examining one’s focus, and then changing it.
Adjust one’s attitude to look for the best, and move past the negative. Changing one’s
The Attitude Factor 1
2
focus requires changing one’s thoughts. This may be difficult for those used to pessimism, so it
is key to decide beforehand to stand firm against negative thoughts and feelings. To change the
habit of pessimism, one must start by catching negative thoughts. Evaluate what is happening;
figure out what the facts of the matter are. Do not jump directly to worst case scenarios, instead,
calmly find the facts, and make decisions from there. Jerry Lopper gives an example: “When
your old car suddenly makes a strange noise you may jump to the pessimistic conclusion that
repair will be costly, but maybe a minor repair will solve the problem” (2007, The Power of
Positive Attitude). When an incident occurs, which seems terrible, one should examine the
situation for good events arising from the original incident. A positive attitude is necessary; good
effects do not always show themselves immediately (Hall, 2010, Change Your Attitude, Change
Your Life!). By deciding upon a new attitude toward life, one is in control, choosing positive
actions, and positive results. “A changed attitude changes results” (Burns, 2008, An Attitude
Reality Check).
Summary
Success in learning, relationships, and in the workplace, is entirely dependent upon one’s
attitude. A negative attitude yields only negative results, hurting one’s chances for success. A
positive attitude toward life produces positive results, benefiting those who decide to have a
positive outlook on life. These optimists are successful entrepreneurs, political leaders,
inventors, scholars, and a myriad of other vocations. Failure is their stepping-stone to greatness;
they refuse to allow life to beat them down. Anyone can attain this successful attitude by
carefully examining their mindset and changing it to look for the best in all situations.
The Attitude Factor 1
3
References
Allgeyer, K. Lose the Bad Attitude at Work. Accessed on February 17, 2010, from
http://www.workingworld.com/articles/Lose-the-Bad-Attitude-at-Work
Attitude. 1992. In Cayne, B.S. (Ed.), Webster’s Encyclopedic Dictionary (p. 60, Deluxe Ed.).
Awe J. Learning Starts with Attitude. Accessed on February 15, 2010, from
http://jidaw.com/dinosaur2.html
http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/inner-spaces_attitude-affects-relationships_1119202
http://kevburns.com/articles/an-attitude-reality-check.html
Charts from the American Time Use Survey. 2009. Accessed on March 4, 2010, from
http://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/
http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/35566.html
http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Gracia5.html
Hall, K. W. Change Your Attitude, Change Your Life! Accessed on February 17, 2010, from
http://ezinearticles.com/?Change-Your-Attitude,-Change-Your-Life!&id=89091
http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/edison.html
Lopper, J. The Power of Positive Attitude. Accessed on February 16, 2010, from http://changing-
The Attitude Factor 1
4
personal-habits.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_power_of_positive_attitude
http://www.agewave.com/media_files/mi082406.html
Miscisin, M. Alter Your Life by Your Attitude. Accessed on February 18, 2010, from
http://www.positivelymary.com/Presentations/Attitude-Article.htm
Pulsifer, C. How to Recognize A Negative Attitude. Accessed on February 17, 2010, from
http://www.wow4u.com/anegative/index.html
Sasson, R. The Power of a Positive Attitude. Accessed on February 17, 2010, from
http://www.successconsciousness.com/positive_attitude.htm
http://ezinearticles.com/?Failure-is-Not-an-Option---How-to-Overcome-
Failure&id=2904320
Spaulding, K. Attitudes and Attitude Change: Thoughts, Feelings, and Opinions. Accessed on
change/3smazt4fj02nv/16
Swindoll, C.R. 2007. The Importance of Attitude. Accessed on February 15 2010, from
http://daily.insight.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=7807&news_iv_ctrl=1781
http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/linda-tischler/design-times/attitude-adjustment
Yehuda, G. Building my Business on Positive Attitude. Accessed on February 18, 2010, from
http://www.gilyehuda.com/2009/12/28/building-my-business-on-positive-attitude/
Young, S. 2004. Attitude Adjustment: Ways to Transform Your Career. Accessed on February