It is your ‘Attitude’, that defines you. That makes you unique. With the change in attitude, you can change your life. Born in similar situations, still, two people grow up with a different mindset and approach to life. This defines their scope for success and quality of life. Attitude is the most loosely used and very less understood term. Achievers do take attitude seriously, it is the internal software that will guide you through all tough or easy situations. Attitude is one of the foundation stones of your personality.
Attitude: Your Internal Compass
Attitude shapes one’s personality and the manner in which a person perceives and reacts to situations in life. When two people are born in a family, they receive similar education, healthcare and opportunities. But why one becomes successful and the other just manages to be an average guy next door? Why one is a social magnet and other is a fly in the corner?
In a job interview when interns are selected, then why one gets a permanent position and the other one is out, sitting for other interviews? Why some people excel consistently while others fail or struggle consistently? I do appreciate the consistency part but one yields a positive impact while the other gives negative results.
Why it happens that some people become good leaders and others become good followers?
Why some people live their dreams, while others work in the dreams of those who are busy living their dreams?
Still, when given the same training, skill and opportunities, some people will excel while some will fail and others will be average in that?
“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.“
-Zig Ziglar
“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”
-Winston Churchill
The answer to all the above questions does not lie with the government or the situations or our parents, society or our siblings. The answer lies in the thing which we control full and it is inside us. We can call it our own guide book for life, which teaches us how to look at things and how to take them and act upon them. It is a little part of our personality, which is called, “Attitude”. Attitude is so much important that a great scientist Albert Einstein has said: “Weakness of Attitude is Weakness of Character”.
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A person with a positive attitude will rise in life and will make a name for himself/ herself in the world while the person with negative attitude even if born with a silver spoon in his mouth will end up achieving less than what a normal person with those resources could achieve.
What is Attitude? – Understanding Attitude
Attitude is a small thing with a significant impact. Attitude is related to our behaviour, beliefs and feeling towards a person, ideology, task, events, objects, symbols or any other such things. This tells us that attitudes are relative i.e. they are in response to things. And you know that attitude can never be neutral, it can either be a positive, a negative, favourable and inimical. It is through our attitude that we express our approach towards things and how we feel about them and ourselves.
Attitude can be expressed verbally and non verbally too. The choice of colours, the way you choose to dress (formal or casual), the sticker on your vehicle. How you see yourself and represent yourself to the outside world.
Also, attitude helps us to make sense of things around us according to our own perspective. Attitudes help us to form opinions about the things around us.
Like,
Should violence be shown in movies?
Should capital punishment be banned or not?
Should there be a fine on people who waste food in hotels and restaurants?
You like to go to McDonalds or Burger King, Why ?
Should people be told what they should do or they should not?
Do we need democracy or we can change it if we get something better?
Examples of Attitude: Complaining/ Crybaby/ Whining ; Inattentive ; Careless ; Rude ; Quarrelsome; Socialising; leadership; dependability positive energy.
Attitude and its Components
ABC Model – Cognitive, Affective & Behavioural
Experts say that attitude can be changed and adjusted. Sometimes people change their attitude as per the results they want. Like if your dad motivates you to get good marks and he promises Apple Phone and you want it badly, then while you may love cricket game, but you’ll switch off the T.V. and study to meet your objective. Psychologists have come up with ABC model. Some also refer to it as CAB model. Attitude consists of COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE AND BEHAVIOURAL components.
- Cognitive: What you believe about a thing. Eg: Socialising is a good thing.
- Affective: How you feel about the thing. Eg: Socialising is like a therapy and makes us happy and connected to the world.
- Behavioural: How your behaviour is influenced by your beliefs and feelings. Eg: Friendly person who talks to all and is not shy of strangers too.
Attitude is Learned
Attitude is learned. It is shaped by our experience which is a combination of how we see the world, what we expected, what we got and now what is our feedback to it. We use our experience as a learning point, reference point or precedent to certain types of objects, situation or people.
Then next big thing is education and learning, which comprises of the rewards and punishment i.e. if we study, the school teacher praises us and we are rewarded and this behaviour gets reinforced, if we fail then we are scolded thus we don’t like to fail.
Another important factor is – an environment which comprises of your family, social status, school, peers, work culture etc.
In a positive environment, even average workers perform well, while in a negative environment even best workers perform poorly.
How Attitude Affects Us and Our Future?
Our attitude take us to many places. Now those places can be either good or bad.
A person with a good attitude develops a positive and encouraging personality. He does not see others as competitors. He is generally friendly. He enjoys every moment and is always radiating energy. People like to associate with him, organisations don’t want to lose him and groups like to have the leadership of such persons. People with a positive attitude may not be genius, but they will always be promoted first. These people take responsibilities and make value addition to society. These people make quality relationships and maintain their life long.
Similar is true in case of a negative and pessimistic attitude. A negative person is hated by all and he always tries to compete with others and gets jealous easily. He normally has a bad lifestyle and remains ill. They blame and don’t take responsibility. People don’t want to work with such people. Organisations fire these kinds of people as soon as any economic crises come.
Thus, in this article – Attitude for Life: Shape Your Personality The Way You Want, we see that attitude practically translates to our important factors for success. Better to build a positive one and reap the life long benefits.
RAJAT JHINGAN
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