Over the centuries, numerous philosophers have stated that a person’s attitude has far more to do with his or her success than ability. For example, philosopher William James said, “It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task, which more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.” Whether a hill is steep or gradual, whether a glass is half-empty or half-full, or whether a dream seems impossible or doable all depend on our attitude. And guess what? We have the freedom to choose our attitude! Viktor Frankl, Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist, describes this choice as the one freedom that no one can take away from us. If we choose a positive attitude, our life will be full of exciting and wonderful accomplishments and adventures. If we choose to have a negative attitude we will see ourselves as hapless victims of circumstances. As Thomas Jefferson put it, “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” So, we need to seize the initiative and make sure we choose wisely.

One Sentence Wisdom

• “The greatest day in your life and mine is when we take total responsibility for our attitudes. That’s the day we truly grow up.” — John C. Maxwell
• “The greatest discovery of my generation is that man can alter his life simply by altering his attitude of mind.” — James Truslow Adams

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