A complainer, a downer, or a gossip is not a Leader of Character.
How do you break the habit of being negative? Quit practicing it so consistently. The more practice you put into something, the better you get at that thing. If you practice playing the piano, you will get better at it. If you practice your golf swing, you will get better at that too. But if you practice the piano or your golf swing the wrong way, those bad habits become what type of pianist you are or what type of golfer you are – a bad pianist or a bad golfer.
The same is true for your character. Specifically, your attitude will become a habit based on what you practice. If you consistently practice attitude the wrong way and build the bad habit of negativity, that bad habit will affect your character and become who you are – a bad leader or a bad partner.
What type of attitude are you practicing? Do you practice negativity or Positivity? You are what you consistently do. Think about that. If you consistently complain, wallow in self-pity, or gossip about others, what have you become? A complainer, a downer, a gossip, but not a Leader of Character and not somebody others want to be around.
Whatever attitude you choose, it will get easier to choose that attitude in the future. Negativity makes us more likely to choose negativity in the future. Your attitude is something you have the power to choose – no matter the circumstances you are facing. There are examples everywhere of people who chose Positivity in the midst of death, illness, or injustice. Their stories would be heartbreaking and make you angry if they had chosen to just complain, or focus on themselves, or point fingers. But those inspirational people chose a different path in the midst of their bad circumstances. They chose Positivity.
Positivity: Displaying a positive or “Can do” attitude in all circumstances.
The next time you get cut off in traffic. The next time there is a policy change at work. The next time you receive negative feedback from a supervisor or a family member, you have a choice. What will you choose in those circumstances? Positivity or negativity?
If you want to break the habit of negativity, you have to start choosing a different attitude in the midst of the circumstances. It truly is up to you. The more you choose Positivity instead of negativity, the closer you will become to being that person and that leader other people want to follow – a Leader of Character.
Question:
- What circumstances cause you to become negative?
- What path could you take instead?
