Success is dependent upon many things, including hard work and a bit of luck. Do you know what else it’s dependent on? Your attitude. Specifically, having a positive attitude.

Attitude is one of the things that many network marketers overlook when planning their journey to success. While they’re sure to set goals and plan for their daily activities, they may overlook the one thing that will help them achieve their goals and do the activities in the first place. When it comes to succeeding in business and in life, one thing is clear – attitude is everything.

How to cultivate a positive attitude

Although a positive attitude comes naturally to some, others may find it’s more of a challenge to think positively. That’s not to say they’re pessimists entirely – they just find it challenging to see the bright side and look for that silver lining. The good news is, it’s entirely possible to train your brain to focus on the positive, especially in the face of challenging situations. 

Why attitude is everything

Your attitude is how you approach situations that arise in life. Do you tend to think that everything will work out, even if it seems challenging right now, or do you tend to focus on the negative of a situation? 

For example…

When it seems as though no one in your network is responding to your messages, do you think:

1. “They must be busy! They’re getting back in the swing of things after the holidays and are working on meeting their own personal goals for the year. I’ll keep reaching out so they know I’m thinking of them.”
2. “They’re all avoiding me. They don’t want to hear from me. I should just give up.”

Now, these are two extremes. It’s possible your thoughts are somewhere between these responses. Although you may feel everyone in your network is busy, you may take it as a sign to quit or at least not contact them again. The key is to work through these challenges and continue to consistently contact your network, even if it feels that all you’re hearing is crickets. To do so, you have to reset your mind.

On a PC, one of the quickest ways to reset it is to press Ctrl + Alt + Del at the same time. That brings up a screen that allows you to manage open applications, etc. If you have a program that is running slow or has stopped completely, this process allows you to shut it down. Similarly, if you want to shut down negative thoughts and cultivate a positive attitude, you have to press the Control + Alt + Delete of your mind. 

Here’s how to cultivate a positive attitude.

Positive attitude tip #1: Control Yourself

There’s not much you can control in life and business. You can’t will your network to connect with you just as you can’t force all of your prospects to become customers or team members. However, you can control the way you act and react to all that life throws at you. 

“When the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills.”

When challenging situations arise, or when things aren’t going as planned, do you build a wall – meaning you’re likely to give up and quit? Or do you build windmills – meaning you find solutions to help you work through and overcome the challenge? 

Believe it or not, it all comes down to your attitude. Negative-thinking people tend to give up when challenges arise. They may make excuses as to why it didn’t work and consider quitting when things get too difficult or don’t meet their expectations. 

However, positive-thinking people will look for solutions to help them adapt. Sure, they’ll be disappointed that something didn’t work out, but they’ll dust themselves off and look for solutions to help them get through and lessons to use if they encounter the challenge again. For some, this is a natural inclination. They automatically look on the bright side. For others, this is a conscious decision they’ve made to look for solutions, rather than problems. They understand that the one thing they can control in any situation is themselves and their responses. 

How to control yourself

How many of us waste time reflecting on other people and their thoughts and actions instead of looking inward and seeing where we can change and improve? You are the master of your thoughts, words, and deeds. Only you can control what you think, say, and do. When challenges arise, stop for a moment. Then, consider what your next action will be. So many of us get flustered when challenges arise and we respond negatively. You’ve got to hit pause for a moment – use all the strength you can muster to stop. Then, take a deep breath. This will help you focus on your thoughts and refocus your mind to think about potential solutions and positive reactions. It takes practice. However, over time it’ll help you see more clearly and control how you react to any situation.

Positive Attitude Tip #2: Alter Your Thoughts

Thoughts are powerful. Our thoughts influence everything in our daily lives, from how we react to situations to how we view the world. When we think negatively, it begins to wear down on us. We begin to think negatively about ourselves, our skills, and our businesses and this negatively gradually spread to other parts of our lives as well. Each negative thought bears down on us and makes us think we’re less than. How can we succeed when we feel we’re not worthy?

Positive thinking isn’t a superhuman ability. It’s a skill that allows people to see challenges as opportunities – opportunities to become better and improve their skills. This allows them to improve their businesses so that success becomes a viable outcome. Although some people are born optimists, others have to work at it. Like any skill, the more you use it, the sharper it becomes. When they find negative thoughts creeping in, they replace them with positive ones. This allows them to look for the solutions they need to overcome any obstructions on their journey toward success. That’s not to say they have on rose-colored glasses all the time. A popular misconception is that optimists don’t have negative thoughts at all or ignore them. That’s not entirely true – they notice negativity; they just choose to replace that negative thought with one that is more solution-oriented. This allows them to move forward toward their goals instead of becoming stuck dwelling on the negatives. 

How to alter your thoughts

This also takes practice. However, the more aware you are of the thoughts you have, the better able you’ll be to replace negative with positive thoughts. 

When situations arise and you pause for a moment before you react, take stock of what your thoughts are at the moment. Are you thinking the worst or dwelling on the things that can and have gone wrong? Or are you second-guessing yourself and your abilities? Maybe you’re doing all three at the same time. These are not productive thoughts. They don’t encourage you to act in a useful manner that will bring you closer to your goals. Instead, they encourage you not to act or, over time, to quit. You can’t achieve success if you’re too bogged down by negativity to act or if you totally quit.

Instead, when you pause, acknowledge the negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. “This is the worst” turns into “This is an opportunity to flex my skills and build new ones.” “My network is avoiding me because I’m contacting too much” becomes “My network is busy right now, but if I stay in touch, it’ll show that I care and help to build the relationship.” If you find yourself having the same negative thoughts over and over, consider posting a positive mantra where you can see it to encourage you to think positively.

Positive Attitude Tip #3: Delete Negativity

Negativity is everywhere and it can wear you down if you let it. It’s more than the thoughts in our heads; it can surround us.

Just as we eat healthy food to fuel our bodies to reach their true potential, we must also feed our minds healthy things. This comes in the form of the media we consume, the books we read, the podcasts we listen to, and even the people we surround ourselves with. We’re not saying to cut out all the negative people in your life; a better solution is to seek out and add more positive, successful people to it and try to spend more time with them. 

How to delete negativity

When we surround ourselves with negativity, it’s no wonder that we begin to think negatively all the time. It becomes our default mode. However, when you see out positive, uplifting information, you begin to change your mindset as well. Read books, magazines, and blogs that have a positive spin and are from successful people. Listen to podcasts and music, and watch videos that inspire and uplift, rather than drag you down into negative headspace. Spend more time with the eternal optimists in your life – their optimism may rub off on you. Plus they can give you advice on how to stay positive, even when it’s tough. 

Teamzy can help you cultivate a positive attitude

Teamzy is more than a CRM. It also provides training videos and programs designed to help you achieve your goals and take your business to the next level. Improve your skills, Click here to learn more.