JOHN MAXWELL ON LEADERSHIP

ATTITUDE ITS A CHOICE!

BY DAVID HOYT.

As I shared in my last post, one of the teachings from John that has caused me to grow the
most is How to be a REAL Success. Previously I wrote on Relationship principles that Ive
learned from John over my career working with him. Today Ill share on the A in REAL
Attitude.
One of the most valuable lessons that Ive learned from John is that attitude can be one of
my greatest assets. Ultimately, my attitude is my choice. Neither negative people nor
negative circumstances can control my attitude. Its ultimately up to me to choose the
attitude that I have. As a high school student, my parents gave me a poem by Chuck
Swindoll, entitled Attitude that shaped my thinking. This poem was on my desk throughout
high school and college and has become ingrained in my thinking.
Attitude
Attitude, to me, is more important than education, than money, than circumstances, than
failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important
than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company a church a
home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we
embrace for that day. We cannot change our past we cannot change the fact that people
act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on
the one string we have, and that is our attitude I am convinced that life is 10 percent what
happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you We are in charge of
our attitudes.
Question for reflection: Is your current attitude one of your greatest assets?
Secondly, Ive learned from John that successful people think differently than unsuccessful

people. Specifically, Ive seen him model finding time every day for intentional thinking.
There is not a day that goes by that John doesnt spend time in solitude thinking. Ive
traveled the world with him and seen him have days that were incredibly busy but no matter
how heavy the load, he always finds time to get away and spend time in thinking and
reflection. Im not yet at the place where I can say that I take time everyday just to think, but
Im close. Between running and spending time at the end of each day on my porch or in my
hot tub, there is hardly a day that goes by that Im not spending intentional think time
regarding my life and leadership responsibilities.
Question for reflection: Are you carving time daily for intentional thinking?
As it relates to attitude, Ive also learned from John that the difference between average
people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure. Ive never met
anyone who spends less time looking in the rearview mirror of life than John. He has truly
modeled how to make failure your friend. Through reflection he is able to pull out lessons to
be learned and modifications to be made in the future. but he doesnt stay mired down by
failure. He moves on quickly to the next quest and takes the wisdom gained from the failure
to make him better in the future. This practice is still a work in progress for me. Too often I
want to beat myself up or become discouraged from failure. Im continually working to learn
lessons from my failure and be able to move on quickly to the next opportunity or initiative.
Question for reflection: Are you making failure your friend?

Tokky Ademoyero 2 years ago

Thanks for this piece, David. I strongly believe that positive attitude, when
shaped in Christ, also makes you effortlessly operate as a positive influencer,
encourager and an inspiration everywhere and all the time. You truly make a
positive impact on lives through positive attitude. Yes, as has been severally
stated already, positive attitude is contagious.
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J.P. Kwok 2 years ago

I am having to put this into practice in the present season. I've lost a key highskill volunteer position and I'm having to create a new skilled volunteer position.
No luck so far in filling these two positions and the prospects are low. My
effectiveness depends on filling these spots. It's hard to maintain a positive
attitude when the resources are low and expectations are high.

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Harriet Djan 2 years ago

Can you share the poem on attitude with us. Personally having the right attitude
to life is everything especially if it's Christ motivated. U don't loose energy that
way. There's real peace and fulfillment in actions we take that are christ centred
cos it makes great sense at the end of the day. Everything falls into place like a
gaint puzzle u just finished fixing that reveals a beautiful picture.
o

Tony Lynch 2 years ago

Thank you David for this outstanding blog. Attitude - or the right attitude is so
key. I remember having gone through a number of issues in my teens, which
affected my studies I left school without much to show for it. I then became a
Christian and realised that my attitude would make or break me. I could not go
back - only forward. So with a good attitude I decided to learn from others and
how to serve them. God has blessed me way beyond that which I could imagine.
With a family around me, two companies and being part of the John Maxwell
Team - making a choice to go with a good attitude has been key. A good attitude
can mature as well over time. I often say to people - Life is often made up not by
our actions - but by our reactions. Thanks David for your blog - looking forward
to seeing you in Orlando. Tony Lynch.
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Victor Joaquin 2 years ago

To be a great business person is to have a strong and fixed assets, just to
maintained its production stability. Since our great assets is our character, keep
remain the POSITIVISM, be strengthened by God and others and stay a
productive person you are.
o
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Brian Rushfeldt 2 years ago

Inner peace and joy have the power to override bad attitudes. Troubled soul and
spirit allow negative emotion and mental activity. For me becoming focused and
filled, and knowing who I am and what I am created to do is extremely helpful in
dealing with the issues of life that have potential to produce negative attitude.
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Omawumi Bello 2 years ago

When I first joined my current place of work, staff used to walk in to work in the
morning as if they've been beaten in their sleep the previous night. .frowning
and could hardly say good morning. Even when you say good morning to them
they just mumble something back to you. I the course of the day there was a lot
of moanings and whisperings I could not understand. I could see people in my

team were not working optimally.

Before long they noticed my attitude was different. I would walk in smiling and
say "good morning house". In the course of the day I spoke cheerfully and
positively to colleagues and clients. I went the extra mile to get results. I
imagined they thought my attitude would soon fizzle out or change when I start
to see the ills around the work place. It's a year now, and I've only gotten better
at my attitude. Positive attitude is contagious. My work environment is so bubbly
now. Moanings and whisperings all sorted...open communication is the order of
the day now. I've often heard staff say to me, "Oma you've made coming to
work every day something to look forward to. I've never enjoyed my job like I've
done these past couple of months". In the first week of my employment, one
manager said to another manager, "finally we find someone that cares to go the
extra mile". It revolutionised my workplace. Recently, one of my teammates
asked me, "what is it that you take in the morning that gets you so high?" In my
heart I said, if I tell him can he take it?! I knew he was not ready. He probably
thinks am on crack or something. One colleague that just left my team for
another job said, "Oma, is an extremely generous person, I have never met
someone like her". I almost broke down in tears, cos honestly it's not about me.
Jesus creates in us the right attitude that can change our world. But we have to
let Him do His work in us.

Isaac Arthur 2 years ago

Hello David,
I have been following your post and makes a lot of personal notes for my life,
but love this point of attitude. I called "attitude" A GOOD LIFE I NEED. Many
people fails and later becomes failures, because for the fact that one fails does
not makes one a failure. But one's attitude after, towards the circumstance that
engineered the fall of the mark, makes the person negatively becomes a failure.
We need to glow in attitude of RISING UP than that of keeping ourselves down
for to be comforted.
Psalms 18 - 25. With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright
man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
Life Is all about attitude towards what we believe and what we stand for.
Read John 9: 20- 29.
God Bless You.

Ryan Renner 2 years ago

If you incorporate positive thinking then you will always try to find the
good in a bad situation and in people. If you choose to practice
negative thinking then you will always look for the bad in a good

situation and in people. Make POSITIVE your mindset in life and you
will experience positive outcomes in any situation.

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Misty Young 2 years ago

David, I so appreciate this lesson in critical thinking. I love the contrast between
average and achieving people. Thinking is such an important part of our
success. Thank you for demonstrating the importance of attitude and keeping
the main thing the main thing.

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David Hoyt Misty Young 2 years ago

Misty - thanks for your kind words. I hope to see you in Orlando next
week.

Seabron Page 2 years ago

David thank you! I was a very poor student in high school, and was not slated
for college study. I never really reached my potential while in school. I knew that
I wanted to learn to express myself on paper, and understand life's meaning.
Low and behold I found myself to be a graduate student in my chosen
profession, simply because of my attitude to be whom I believed myself to be,
and not what a system thought that I was
Fitness Blogger: www.cgroupfitness.com
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David Hoyt Seabron Page 2 years ago

Seabron - congratulations on all that you've accomplished due to having

a positive attitude!

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i find that failure or UNsuccessful attempts at something, get me in the

stomach. I am in fact pitying myself! BUT i also find that i have become stronger
and nonchalant if it happens again...or rather WHEN it happens again! So the
more often u fail, the better! THATS ATTITUDE RIGHT THERE!

I just said Amen reading the opening statement.much wisdom as you inform the
world

Beth Bergren 2 years ago

There is a saying about having an attitude of gratitude. When one looks at life
with a positive versus a negative perspective - you can face any difficulty with
grace. It isn't easy, but it helps you get through it. As a Christian woman I know
having God as my main focus in life makes all the difference in how to handle
trials and tribulations. Be thankful for each and every day knowing God has it all
in His hands anyway! Blessings on your day.

JC 2 years ago
A positive attitude has helped me through a lot of negative events in my life. I
work for a church, a positive
attitude is needed on a daily basis. So many people come with a frown on their
face,all it takes is a hello and
a smile to see the change in their face. We just have to remember everyone
might be fighting a great battle
in their lives, so kindness and a positive attitude is a must.
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Chika Ossai-Ugbah 2 years ago

Excellent write up. Keith Harrel, Attitude is Everything gave me a death blow in
2010. I was going on vacation when i read it. The 7hr flight to Dubai was my
transfiguration. If you can alter your attitude posutuvely, you can alter your
atmosphere. An attitude tune up gives attention and attraction. Attitude indeed
is an asset.

SpeakTheTruthToday 2 years ago

I have had to learn that my attitude isn't necessarily the same as my emotions. I
think we can control our attitude, but when something happens, perhaps even
as significant as the death of a loved one, we can't directly change our
emotions. However, I've found that a positive attitude can, and does, influence
them.

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Paul Sohn 2 years ago

Great thoughts David! I also encountered Chuck Swindoll's poem on Attitude

several years ago and have recited it regularly which has been a great source of
inspiration. My question is, how can someone get into the habit of thinking
positively? In other words, what is the source of the attitude. Personally, the
motivation comes externally. As a believer in Christ, my attitude is shaped by a
Christ-centered calling. I think it's a very important question to think about.
More than having the "right" attitude, one must seek to answer, "where does
that source come from and why?"

David Hoyt Paul Sohn 2 years ago

Paul - I completely agree with your comment. For me, my faith is the
ultimate driver of my attitude.

Paul,,,that too was a great thought. God is at the center and

circumference of it all. He is the ultimate source of all life. Want to get
life right? Then you have to get God right. Allow Him to change you from
the inside out. As Chuck Swindoll's poem "Attitude" clearly states, life is
lived from the inside out, not the other way around.

Christine Paul Sohn 2 years ago

I think attitude was firstly ingrained in childhood and usually modeled by
parental teachings. In the course of life, there will be set backs and when
the attitude ingrained earlier doesn't help in overcoming the obstacles,
one just have to make decisions to stand back up and learn from life
lessons. Whether to make failure our friend? I'd say make it our enemy
so that we remember not to repeat the same mistakes again because we
don't want to come face to face with our "friend" again... instead, we
want to get away from our foe :)
The source of attitude change comes from within. If you can't help
yourself, no one can. As the bible says, "If you have faith as small as a
mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and
planted in the sea,' and it will obey you." - Luke 17:6
Have faith and nothing is impossible unless you are not willing to try ;)

So, the source always starts from within :)

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Rebecca Starr 2 years ago

Great article David! I spoke last week at a conference on the subject of our
thoughts using the quote "Thoughts lead to words, words to actions, actions to
habits, habits to character and character to destiny". It all starts with the choice
to have the right attitude and can lead to a life of good habits and great
possibilities in ones life. Thanks for taking the time to write this my friend! Hope
to see you in February!
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David Hoyt Rebecca Starr 2 years ago

Rebecca - I love your content above and trust that your speaking
engagement went well. Yes, I look forward to seeing you at the John
Maxwell Team training in February!

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Kary Oberbrunner 2 years ago

Love this post on attitude David. Thanks for your friendship. I love Frankl's
example on the choice of attitude as well. Blessings.
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David Hoyt Kary Oberbrunner 2 years ago

Kary - thanks for your kind words. I'll miss seeing you in Orlando.
Congratulations on your book being published this week.

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Dino Pinciotti 2 years ago

I have lived my life focusing on having a Positive Attitude because it makes
getting through the tough times in life easier. I have a saying that I heard a few

years ago, and have it at the end of my emails that reads..."The only disability in
life is a bad attitude" Your attitude is everything!
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Arun Kumar Manivannan 2 years ago

I have changed my way of living in the past years but not my attitude. As
everyone knows 'Attitude makes the difference' it playing a crucial role in my
daily life. When I am in linear growth of my career MY ATTITUDE helped to go in
exponential growth---Thanks David for sharing:)
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Stephen Crewson 2 years ago

In recent days I've had a lot of time to reflect on my own attitude as I've laid still
recovering from major eye surgery as a result of a retina that decided to do its
own thing. The day after the surgery I listened to two Focus on the Family
broadcasts from Dr. Maxwell on Attitude ... truly challenging and attitude
changing as well as perfectly timed. Your question re: attitude and greatest
asset is helpful. That's my goal through the good and the bad as their is an
opportunity to be a world changer when things might look dim. Thank you David
for the timely post.