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The Incredible Influence of Your Attitude
By Phil Cooke
Revolutionary thinking changes everything.
It was Christmas, 1776. General George Washington took 2,400 of his best men and crossed the Delaware River. It was a desperate move based on a wild idea—the kind that could easily backfire. The small but determined force conducted a surprise raid on 1,500 enemy soldiers at Trenton, New Jersey. It was such a surprise that the encounter took little more than an hour before the enemy surrendered and nearly 1,000 shocked soldiers were taken prisoner by Washington. The Americans suffered only six wounded soldiers, and the victory gave the patriots a much needed morale boost.
Real positive thinking isn’t just “wishful” dreaming.
Shallow attempts at “positive thinking” always drive me nuts. But when you get past the surface level of motivation, you discover that real positive thinking is the core of your being. How you think determines your outlook, your attitude, your persistence and your approach. It changes your perspective on life and therefore, can literally change the outcome of your situation.
Thinking determines action.
In fact, one of the most fascinating elements of the teachings of Jesus is the link between thought and action. When Jesus taught in the nation of Israel more than 2,000 years ago, one of His greatest challenges was with religious leaders who acted piously on the outside, but were empty and dark on the inside. He taught that you don’t just commit a sin by actually physically doing the act, but you can also commit the sin just by thinking about it: You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:27,28 NKJV). He knew that what we think can easily turn into action, so He was simply warning us about the power of our thoughts and how they can either make us better or destroy us.
Jesus understood the power of our mind.
Obviously, our mind can’t do the impossible. There have been false religious systems created on the idea that our thoughts can do anything. That simply isn’t realistic or possible. Sadly, there are always people who are gullible and tend toward the extreme in just about anything. But aside from the fringe, the fact is there is enormous power in the way we think and what we think about.
Good thinking is not involuntary; it’s something we control. As a result, it’s something we can change.
Quality of thinking isn’t a phrase we hear about much, but it’s absolutely critical to changing your life. I’m always amazed watching the employee dynamics at an organization. When I assemble a creative team around a conference table and throw out a challenge, it’s fascinating to see how different people respond. Some grasp the challenge immediately and take off running. Others prefer to think about it first, and still others blow it off, open their laptops and start answering email.
Everyone approaches a challenge differently. Sometimes it’s a matter of age or experience. More years in the company or position can certainly make a difference when it comes to dealing with challenges and opportunities on the job. But I’ve found the greatest difference is the way people think about the issues. Some people are simply better thinkers than others, and the better thinkers almost always win.
Rise up. Stand above the others. Get out of the pack. The key is the quality of your thinking, but how do you do it?
Start thinking of your brain like a muscle and exercise it.
Read, learn, challenge yourself and push the limits of your thinking. Perhaps more than anything, set aside a time during the day where you do nothing but think.
I’ve been profoundly influenced by leadership expert John Maxwell when it comes to thinking. John has actually set aside a chair in his office where he thinks. He doesn’t use it for anything else – when he’s in that chair, he just sits and thinks.
I encourage you to do the same. Don’t take phone calls, attend meetings, or answer email in that chair. That’s your thinking chair and thinking is the only thing you use it for. Every day—probably near the end of your day—take some time and sit in the chair with only a pad and pencil, and think. Reflect on the day, think about the future, jot down notes and just think.
Overcome obstacles and defeat through real positive thinking.
Again, what I call real positive thinking is not shallow and trivial. It’s not wishful or unrealistic. Authentic positive thinking is an accurate picture of the possibilities and what can actually be accomplished in a given situation.
People with real thinking look at obstacles most people call impossible and laugh. Not because we’re being stupid, but because we’ve done our homework. We have confidence in our abilities and skill, have prayed, appreciate the mysterious and are unhindered by fear. Real positive thinking is how we can turn negative situations and circumstances into positive, life-changing experiences. Real positive thinking is how God’s victorious army moves forward. Stop automatically assuming things won’t work out or goals can’t be accomplished. God is greater than we can ever imagine, and you plus God always make a majority.
Positive thinking isn’t denial; it’s the accurate realization that we don’t know everything and therefore, anything is possible.
The Bible has taught the spirit-mind-body connection for thousands of years. Recent studies show that a mental attitude has a significant impact on the body’s ability to heal, and doctors are now taking the mental attitude of their patients very seriously. There’s an old proverb that says if you want to know what your thoughts were like yesterday, then check how your body feels today.
Change your thinking today. Make good thinking intentional, deliberate and a priority.
Your attitude and thoughts impact your life in very physical, tangible ways, and nothing you do contributes to changing your life more than transforming the way you think.
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