“You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.”
“If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.”
Both of these quotes are by one of my favorite authors: Zig Ziglar. He lived his life dedicated to the principle of helping others, and I wholeheartedly agree with his approach. One of the greatest satisfactions I have in my career and life is helping others get what they want.
This week I had the honor to sit down with someone I admire and advise this person on career goals. Inspiring this blog post, our conversation revolved around how to get into medical device sales and the characteristics of successful people.
What do successful people think about all day long?
The answer is simple: successful people constantly think about what they want and how to get it. And successful people know that the power of positive thinking (bolstered by a positive attitude) can truly turn a person’s life around for the better.
When you encounter unexpected setbacks and difficulties, the way you respond demonstrates to yourself and to the world around you what kind of attitude and thinking you really have. Here are some things that can get in the way of a positive attitude and positive thinking. I want to eliminate these things totally from my life, and I hope discussing them will help you too.
1) Indulging negative thinking about your situation. Be thankful for what you have and think about your blessings more than you think about your problems. Life is never easy. Struggles do not equal failure! Anything in life worth pursuing will have an element of difficulty and struggle.
2) Worrying about past mistakes. It’s okay to make mistakes! That’s how we learn and grow. Give yourself a break and don’t be so hard on yourself. Take solace in an attitude that refuses to give up. Great things take time. Every step, no matter how small, means you’re getting closer to your goal. Let your mistakes be your motivation, not your excuse. Decide right now that mistakes from your past won’t predict your future.
3) Worrying about what people think of you. This principle is easy to embrace when we realize how little time other people actually spend thinking about us. Don’t take things too personally. Rarely do people do things because of you—they do things because of them. We really can’t change how people treat us or what they say about us. All we can do is change how we react—and who we choose to be around.
4) Envying things you don’t have. No matter how bad things are, there is always someone out there that is facing a worse situation. There are lots of people who will never have what you have right now. In fact, in this moment, someone is wishing for the very things you take for granted. Happiness eludes those who don’t appreciate what they already have.
5) Being constantly busy. Schedule time each and every day for dedicated down time—clear points in the day to rest, reflect, recharge, and care for yourself. Don’t fool yourself: you’re not so busy that you can’t afford time for rest, exercise, or relationships. These things will preserve your sanity!
6) Engaging negative people that rain on your parade. It’s better to be lonely than to be around people with negative opinions that derail you from your destiny. Don’t let others crush your dreams; simply ignore their negativity.
7) Trying to impress others. One of the most liberating feelings in life comes when we learn that we don’t have to like everyone, and everyone doesn’t have to like us. No matter what you do, how you live, and how hard you try, someone will be disappointed and ask for more. So instead of trying to impress others, live with honor. Make sure you don’t disappoint yourself in the end.
8) Believing your fears. Fear is a feeling, not a fact. Fear can be defined by the acronym “False Evidence Appearing Real.” The best way to gain strength and self-confidence is by doing exactly what you’re afraid to do. In the end, there is only one thing that will get in the way of your success: lack of action stemming from the fear of failure.
9) Wallowing in regret. Don’t let yourself be controlled by regret. You don’t have to be defined by things you once did or didn’t do! Maybe there’s something you could have done differently—or maybe not. Learn from your past mistakes, but don’t get wrapped around the axle with them. Leave the past behind as you give yourself to the present moment.
10) Focusing on anything but the present. As we just discussed, the past is gone. Another way we trap ourselves is by focusing too much on the future—it hasn’t even arrived yet! Do your best to live in the now and make this moment the best it can be.
Your turn…
Which of these points resonates with you? How can you stop wasting time and make the most of every moment? How can you get what you really want?
