Is there anyone who doesn’t want to experience success? From wee ankle biters to grown adults we are always looking for support in others, for people we can trust, for people who believe in us and will be there to cheer us on the moment success lands at our doorstep. Indeed, we want people who have a positive and can do attitude toward life. I call those people: my associates, my mentors, my go-to people.
Actor/producer Michael Douglas once said, “So much of how we function in life is based on our level of confidence…” And for each of us, our level of confidence, the belief we hold in ourselves is coloured by the world around us. What we read. What we watch and who we listen to. Who we interact with every day has a profound impact on how we feel about who we are and the direction we take.
For us to make the best choices, we need to start becoming more aware about what and who we let influence us. Start now! Start bringing people into your circle of influence with success characteristics. People who will mentor, embrace and encourage you to move forward with gusto.
People who
- Have experienced success themselves
- Keep you on track and focused on your desired goal(s)
- Provide you with specific guidance and support
- Serve as your sounding board
- See your strengths and want to uncover your hidden talents
- Willingly share their knowledge and expertise
- Tell you what you really need to hear, not just feel-good fluff
- Have a positive and can do attitude toward life
- Believe in you
All too often, what we read, watch and listen to on a daily basis is negative. And, sometimes it feels, as if there is a naysayer around every corner. Someone who says: “Oh no, you can’t. You shouldn’t. You’ll be sorry. It’s too risky. It’s too difficult. It’s too costly. The economy is down. The competition is high.”
When you look around at your network, the people you trust to help you move in the direction of your dreams which group influences you the most? Which group occupies the main stage of your mind: the one that focuses on “Oh no, you can’t” or the one that focuses on “Oh boy, you can.” That choice is ours to make.
In the comic section of my local newspaper, there is a corner reserved for a cartoon segment called Family Circus by Bil Keane. A few years ago, there was a particular strip that caught my eye. The father and son are driving down the road and have just come to a stop at a railway crossing. The dad looks at the train and says, with a look of exasperation on his face, “Oh, No! We are going to be held up by a darn old train!” His son, Billy, shouts out with enthusiastic delight, “Oh Boy! We’re in luck, Daddy! We get to watch a train go by!”
There will be times as we travel along the road to our successes when the road gets blocked, and we have to stop. At that point, we can let the naysayers – the ones that say, “Oh no. You can’t…” take us off track, dampen our dreams and aspirations. Or, we can turn to those who shout, “Oh Boy!” and listen to the – can do attitude – people. These people see every block as another opportunity, and another amazing experience. Their attitude colours every road they are on and every turn they take. If we are looking to experience success, then, we need to make sure that we have lots of ‘can do’ people in our life.
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