How Your Attitude Can Stop You From Succeeding

A few days ago I walked into a national electronics retail store ready to spend hundreds of dollars on a new laptop. Although I had done my research, I still had a few questions--but I was ready and eager to make a decision. Unfortunately, no one approached me while I was looking at two different laptops and I had to initiate with four sales associates before one of them said he would be happy to help me--as soon as he was finished with his current customers.

I understood that and I waited patiently. Ten minutes later, he came back as promised, and he answered my two questions. It was evident he had good product knowledge--and  it was equally obvious he had no passion for his work. You might think he was having a bad day or was just tired, but I don't think that was the case. I believe he knew what he was doing, he just wasn't that interested in it. My guess is that he thinks about doing something different and he wishes he made more money.

Many employees are in the same boat and they are making the same mistake this sales associate seems to be making. They want their circumstances to change, but they don’t know that they have to change.  We might not like that and we might fight it--but the fact is that if we want something to change, we have to change our attitude first.

The attitude we bring to work--or don’t bring--is the foundation for launching a career or calling. We can be good at what we do, but if we're just going through the motions, we will forever just be working at a job. To move from a job to a career to a calling is a journey that begins within. It begins by bringing the best attitude we can to work every day.  

-Alan Allard, Leadership Coach/Life Coach
www.alanallard.com