“The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude.” -William James, American philosopher and psychologist
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High Gravity Days
Anyone who has spent a significant amount of time lifting weights will know that mood, diet, recent illness, amount of sleep, and general well-being affect the amount of weight a person can lift on any given day.
My workout buddy’s standard statement was that he never had a day when he would lift less weight! Instead, he had “High Gravity Days.”
He explained that on “High Gravity Days” he could not put as many plates on his bar, but his inability to lift was not the result of any personal behavior or failure. He couldn’t lift as many plates on that particular day because on that day the force of gravity was stronger- thus it was a “High Gravity Day” and not his fault.
My workout buddy approached all aspects of his life with the same grace, manner, and optimism. He always seemed at peace with the world, unstressed, and unaffected by events surrounding him.
PMA
Students at LSUSD (Louisiana State University School of Dentistry) had an instructor who constantly confused Freshman students by asking about PMA. When students were formally instructed by him they were informed that PMA was short for Positive Mental Attitude. He spoke in depth about what having a positive mental attitude entailed, and about the benefits of a life lived with a positive mental attitude.
He volunteered his time at the school, and walked the clinic floor with what he affectionately called “His box of goodies.” In his box, he had clinical examples of many fundamental principles of dentistry that he openly shared with all students.
It was only after graduation that we truly comprehended that he was internationally renowned and that dentists in private practice paid large sums of money learning what he taught students freely. He was always smiling and seemed at peace with the world.
Both of these men were examples of living life with a Positive Mental Attitude.
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Is a positive mental attitude a natural state, or is it a learned response?
According to Erin Eatough, PhD in BetterUp:
Everyone can adopt a more positive mental attitude. And while a positive attitude doesn’t guarantee business success, developing a more positive orientation can improve your mood, relationships, and job and life satisfaction. Research has found that a positive outlook has a real impact on your physical health, too.
Positive thinking is not the same as smiling, being cheerful, or forcing positivity.
A positive mental attitude (PMA) means approaching every situation and challenge in life with optimism.
Author Napoleon Hill first introduced this concept in his 1937 self-help book “Think And Grow Rich.” Throughout the book, he explains that the right mindset attracts positive circumstances and increases your chances of success.
He later expanded on the subject by publishing a separate book — “Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude.” This bestseller teaches readers that health, happiness, and success depend on mindset and attitude.
According to the positive mental attitude philosophy, a positive mindset is synonymous with hope, optimism, courage, and kindness. It also means not giving in to negativity and hopelessness even in difficult situations. When the going gets tough, someone with a positive mental attitude deals with their emotions in a positive and constructive way.
A positive mindset is a choice. It promises that when you choose to look on the bright side of life and make the best out of any situation, you’ll create a better reality for yourself.
Why is it so important to have a positive mental attitude?
Your mind is a powerful tool. A positive mindset helps you unlock your full potential and achieve your goals. Someone with a positive mental attitude sets ambitious goals, is confident in reaching them, and sees challenges as opportunities.
The mind is so powerful that your mindset can affect your health, your performance on cognitive and physical challenges, your ability to relate to others and how they perceive you, and ultimately your life outcomes.
Napolean Hill may have overstated it when he wrote, “Whatever your mind can conceive and can believe, it can achieve.” It has sometimes been misinterpreted to mean that success comes through positive thinking and visualizing alone rather than in combination with work and planning. The more damaging corollary, that people facing difficulties just haven’t had the right attitude, isn’t helpful. Yet the core of that compelling statement holds true.
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An article by Revolution Learning and Development presented a model called a Belaris box:
The model shows that our attitude affects our behavior and our behavior can also affect other people’s attitudes. The model can also start from the bottom suggesting that others’ negative attitudes and behavior can influence us to become negative too. Other attitudes and behavior can also represent a situation.
We need to be able to put a block between others’ behavior and our attitude.
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Characteristics of a positive mindset
- Resilience– resilient people recover from difficult or stressful situations by avoiding negative emotions.
- Optimism– creating positive thoughts by re-framing negative thought patterns. Optimism improves health and general well-being.
- Courage– courageous individuals view failure and rejection as an opportunity to learn.
- Acceptance– the concept of radical acceptance dictates that we accept situations without judgment. This allows for better resolution of problems without negative biases.
- Gratitude– finding something to be grateful for each day creates a positive mindset. See blog: DAILY PURPOSE- AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE.
- Practice mindfulness– paying attention to your internal and external environment. The average person is aware of their environment about half the time.
- Adopt a growth mindset– seeing the parts of ourselves that need improvement and pursuing opportunities for positive change.
- Surround yourself with positive people– surround yourself with people who have positive thoughts and who will encourage growth.
- Engage in self-care– treat yourself to something special on a regular basis.
- Start strong- start the day with a positive attitude. Wake a little earlier to allow for a more productive start to each day.
- Find music that promotes a positive attitude– sad music may actually help boost your mood. According to a research study, sad songs may be a form of mood enhancement. Sad music could be considered “beautiful.” This may help people feel better. Sad songs can invoke memories, distract from negative situations, and carry strong messages.
- Meditate– learn to control negative thoughts instead of negative thoughts controlling you.
- Practice visualization– successful athletes imagine the best possible outcome in any situation and visualize the positive emotion of having achieved it.
Personal Mindset
Personally, I have always considered myself to be a Realistic Optimist. Every situation is approached from a positive point of view while assessing and acting with a realistic and practical mindset. (Example: Seeing a glass of water filled to the halfway mark and viewing the glass as being half full instead of half empty, but at the same time realizing that it is water and not gold.)
Final Thoughts
- Developing a more positive mental attitude can improve your mood, relationships, and job and life satisfaction.
- Having a PMA is a conscious decision that starts anew each day.
- Beginning each day in gratitude, or writing a Gratitude Journal is a good way to foster an Attitude of Gratitude.
- Explore different options for enhancement of mindset. Different things work for different people. Meditation, visualization, music, optimism, self-care, and courage are different proven ways to foster and enhance a positive mindset.
- Don’t let other people or external forces control your attitude. No one can make you be or do anything!
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