“MAKE EACH DAY YOUR MASTERPIECE” – John Wooden
“It’s another day to excel! There are acres of diamonds waiting to be mined, It’s time for you boys to go get yours” Those words were shared with the Wolf brothers on countless mornings as we were rising and getting ready for school. You see our father, Harry, was a disciple of the positive thinkers of his time; Norman Vincent Peale, W. Clement Stone, Zig Ziglar, Russell Conwell and Robert Schuller. Like them be believed anything was possible and it all began by starting your day with an optimistic outlook. Things are no different today. How we begin our day sets the tone for the rest of it. Starting it with a positive attitude serves to reduce stress and anxiety, facilitate a growth mindset, and increases the probability of a productive and satisfying day. Maintaining that positive attitude through the day will serve to sustain the positive flow begun upon rising. Like so many other things in life, it’s a choice we make. Here are some choices you can make starting tomorrow.
- Positive Thinkers Begin Each Day with Gratitude– Getting up in the morning is God’s way of saying you should have another day filled with opportunities. Take a moment to say “Thank-you”.
- Positive Thinkers Engage a Growth Mindset – Every day provides multiple situations from which you can learn something new that will serve you personally and/or professionally. Embrace the idea that at the end of the day you will be a better person than the one who awoke this morning.
- Positive Thinkers Have Passion – Life is a gift! You need to find the time to embrace not only that which challenges you, but that which makes your life what it is; family, friends, hobbies. Embrace the world in it entirety and make the most out of your life. (Finding Your Life’s Purpose – Passion)
- Positive Thinkers Envision Opportunities – Sometimes our best days are those filled with problems and obstacles. Why? Because they enable us to discover the inherent opportunities always found within that which challenges us. Rise to the challenge!
- Positive Thinkers Share Their Spirit – The most common question you will be asked each day is, “How are you”. Typical answers include, “OK”, “Fine”, and “Good”. Unfortunately sometimes we hear, “Not so good”, “Lousy” or we see the sullen head shake. Be the light! When asked, “How are you?”, try one of these; “Great”, “Fantastic”, “Livin’ the Dream”, or my personal favorite (Zig Ziglar), “Super-good and getting better”.
- Positive Thinkers Embrace Collaboration – When we collaborate three things happen; we learn, our creativity is enhanced, and we develop a deeper appreciation and value for those with whom we work (A Maxwell Minute on Collaboration). It doesn’t get much better than that.
- Positive Thinkers Leave a Footprint – Through their interactions with others, positive thinkers deepen relationships through their words and actions. They leave others feeling energized and more optimistic.
Tomorrow’s another day. How will you approach it? The choice is yours, but if Harry was waking you up, he would remind you, “It’s another day to excel!” Have a great one and
Embrace the Challenge