In The Strangest Secret, Earl Nightingale says the following while talking about attitude:

“Right here we come to a rather strange fact. We tend to minimize the things we can do, the goals we can accomplish, and for some equally strange reason we think other people can do things that we cannot.”

That happens to all of us at some point in our life.

It happened to me many years ago. I remember it like it was yesterday…

I sat in the back of a large room filled with about 1,000 people, listening to a fabulous speaker named Bill Gove.

I was captivated by him, perhaps even more so than others in the audience because I was interested in more than the words that were coming out of his mouth.

You see, I had been studying the mind and success for years. And I had earned over a million dollars in a year. And, like Gove, I really wanted to speak to audiences, teaching people what I had learned.

But I was quiet and shy. I couldn’t even ask a question in front of a crowd. I admired Gove because he had the audience right in the palm of his hand.

As I watched, I thought, “He is so good. If only I could do that.”

At that moment, the strange fact that Earl referred to (as quoted above) ran through my mind. Even though I had heard Earl say those words hundreds of times, this time I truly understood what he meant…

I was minimizing the things I could do while thinking Bill Gove could do things I couldn’t do!

With that realization, in the time it takes to snap your fingers, I decided to change my attitude. I made up my mind right then and there that I would learn to speak as well as Bill Gove. And not only that, I was going to get him to teach me.

And you know what?

I’ve had a long and wonderful career doing something I thought I couldn’t do.

A double-edged sword

Earl Nightingale called attitude the magic word because it is a two-edged sword. Attitude either brings us the success we seek or, if misused, a life of disappointment.

You would think that anything that packs this much power would be a subject that is taught from a very young age. And yet, if you asked the next ten people you meet what attitude means, you would probably get ten different answers.

So, what is attitude?

Attitude is the composite of your thoughts, feelings, and actions. Your conscious mind controls feeling and ultimately dictates whether your feelings will be positive or negative by your choice of thoughts, then your body displays those choices through action and behavior.

In other words, attitude is a creative cycle that begins with your choice of thoughts. Whether you believe it or not, you do choose your thoughts, and that choice is where your attitude originates.

As you internalize ideas or become emotionally involved with your thoughts, you create the second stage in forming an attitude; you move your entire being – mind and body – into a new “vibration.”

We refer to your conscious awareness of this vibration as “feeling.” Your feelings are then expressed in actions or behaviors that produce various results in your life.

Attitude and results are inseparable

Attitude and results follow one another like night follows day.

What I mean by that is: one is the cause, the other, the result. Simply stated, if you think in negative terms (cause), you will get negative results (effect); if you think in positive terms, you will achieve positive results.

Ralph Waldo Emerson reiterated that same point when he said, “A person is what they think about all day long.” The results you achieve in life are nothing more than an expression of your thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Take a close look at your life and evaluate the results you are achieving in various areas. If you look closely enough, you will be able to relate your attitude to your results.

Winning and losing are opposite sides of the same coin

And that coin is attitude.

There are many things wrong in this world; unfortunately, that’s all some people are able to see. Those who view the world in this light are often unhappy and somewhat cynical. Usually, their life is one of lack and limitation, and it almost appears as if they move from one bad experience to another.

I know people who are like this and I’m certain you do as well. It would appear as if they were born with a streak of bad luck, and it has followed them around their whole life. These individuals are quick to blame circumstances or other people for their problems, rather than accepting responsibility for their life and their attitude.

Conversely, others are forever winning and living the good life. They are the real movers and shakers who make things happen. They seem to go from one major accomplishment to another. They’re in control of their life; they know where they are going and know they will get there. They are the real winners in life, and their wins are a matter of choice.

You can experience that kind of life as well; you only need to decide. Making that simple decision is the first step to a new life.

Think you can

When you see someone who is living the life of their dreams, remember you have just as many talents and abilities as they do.

I am living the life of my dreams. Sandy is too. And you can achieve as much as we have—and much more.

We haven’t been blessed by a capricious God that decided to let us win. Nor was anyone else you may know or know of who is really making it happen.

Take a moment to think about the last time you saw someone doing something that you’d really love to do.

Did you dismiss the idea because you thought you couldn’t do it?

Is it something you’d still love to do? If so, make up your mind that you’re going to do it.

Dorothea Brand once said, “Act as if it were impossible to fail,” and I challenge you to do so.

By simply becoming aware that you can choose your thoughts every day, you will change your entire outlook on life. You have the power to choose an abundant life, no matter your circumstances. That active choice will allow other positive people and opportunities to be attracted into your life.

Don’t wait to experience all the wonderful things the universe has in store for you. Start today by working on your attitude and welcome the abundant life that you were meant to lead.

To your success,

Bob Proctor