I hope you know why a positive attitude is so important and how motivation will flow naturally from it. If you are stuck on the false sense of security of being motivated only by what you can get someone else to give you in this world, then you’ve led a sheltered and uninspired life. Failure will come hard for you.
Focus first on YOU, then on what someone says they will give you. That will determine whether or not you can accomplish something. You have to make yourself right for the task by first getting into the proper frame of mind—a positive frame of mind. Unless you’re doing something improper or illegal to gain advantage (in other words, cheating), without a positive mindset, you will almost certainly fail.
Here’s the good news: being positive and confident that you’re going to fulfill the needs of every person you come in contact with generates enthusiasm—and it’s contagious! I can recall on several occasions receiving cards and phone calls from buyers who thanked me not just for the new car or truck they bought (I should have been thanking them, and I did!) but also for the experience that lifted their spirits when they were in the dealership.
I went out of my way to make every prospect feel like a million bucks. When they sat down in my office, I wanted them to tell me about the things that were important to them—their jobs or careers, their hobbies, and most of all their families. If you follow this advice, you will actually see the positive vibes begin to form in the person sitting across from you. You’ll begin to see it in their smile and how relaxed and happy they seem. Here’s the lesson: the moment is all about them. The people you come in contact with will feed off your enthusiasm. Turn them into “millionaires” without spending a dime! Your positive attitude is giving them a great gift, and that reward is priceless. Success also means becoming a better person.
If you’re waiting for someone to make the world just right for you so you can succeed, you’re on the road to nowhere. Before you go down that path, remember this: No one ever got any recognition for climbing up half a mountain. Either aim for the top beginning with a positive attitude, or get the hell out of the way and let someone else through who does have his or her sights set on conquest.
The most famous mountain climber who ever lived was Edmund Hillary. Although his conquest of Mount Everest came nearly 60 years ago, the message of his story is as relevant today as it was back then. Edmund Hillary didn’t say, “This mountain is too high. It’ too cold up here. There’s no trail to follow. My equipment doesn’t feel right. Mount Everest can’t be conquered.” He probably did have moments of doubt because he was human. But he never let them take control. He was always in charge. He knew what he was up against.
This was going to be the most dangerous and greatest challenge of his life. Everyone had failed before him. But he BELIEVED he was the man for the job. There were no large crowds cheering him on with encouragement. He looked inside the jaws of adversity and clawed his way to the top, step by step to over 29,000 feet in unimaginable conditions. He never lost sight of his goal. On May 29, 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary conquered Mount Everest. That’s courage. That’s inspiration. That’s having a positive attitude. That’s probably about as close to perfection as you can get for human endurance!
