Milwaukee Social Media Speaker - Professional Speaking - Coach
Here’s a thought to get you thinking this Monday morning:
2 questions to think about:
Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
What does it mean to you?
Please respond in the comments section or send me an e-mail anytime.
My Monday Morning Greatness podcast will return next week. For now, please talk to yourself about this thought, and then share your thoughts with all of us in the comments.
Phil Gerbyshak is the founder of the Make It Great! Institute, founded in 2006 to teach businesses and their organizations how to best use online technology to increase their bottom line, improve customer engagement, and increase employee loyalty. Additionally, Phil has written over 2500 articles and 3 books, his most recent book being #TwitterWorks, focusing on how small businesses and independent restaurants can use Twitter to effectively connect with their customers and potential customers. Phil has been interviewed to share his expertise the Wall Street Journal, the Daily Globe and Mail, USA Today, CBS SmartPlanet and many other publications online and offline.
Phil has written 1849 awesome articles.
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
This is one of those things that seem SO simple on the surface that people might say, Duh! and accuse you of having run out of things to talk about but I can tell you that going from one to the other is a huge barrier for a LOT of people. They’re is a philosophy going around that states that if you have a positive attitude and think on good things they will just “happen” to you. While it’s true that if you don’t have the positive attitude the positive actions more than likely will not follow it still takes a big commitment to ‘get into gear”. The title of this own blog is “MAKING it Great” not “Great Happens” of “Great Flows”. Positive action reflects more than a sunny outlook. Positive action in fact reflects the person taking the action is not just flipping on the flash light but has committed to walking down a path the can be dark and scary. In the shadows one can hear naysayers warning of the dangers and the futility of the journey but with a guide, a map and a light one can make it great(better)!
Which comes first? Doing, or being?
To the Hebrew mind, as expressed in the Old Testament, sometimes the doing precedes the being. Attitudes are, after all, shaped by our actions. Similarly, our attitudes influence and motivate actions.
In the end, it’s circular. If you want to effect your attitudes, start with positive actions. Over time they will have their effect (what religious folks have referred to as “spiritual disciplines.”)
And, in the end, isn’t choosing a positive attitude an action in itself?
Regards,
Rich
BlogRodent
I don’t think you can HAVE positive action without first having a positive attitude.
Yes, you can “fake it till you make it” and I’m not saying that isn’t an effective strategy for actually developing a positive attitude.
However, if your positive attitude doesn’t come before your positive action, then that action isn’t actually positive – it’s just an act.
Even if no one else knows it is an act, YOU will know. And whose opinion is most important to you, right?
Some great comments here and thank you, Phil for getting the ol’ brain firing this early Monday morning.
I cannot say I agree or disagree, as I am a firm believer that the two go hand in hand. Without a positive attitude/positive belief it is often difficult to take positive action. That positive action has to come from some where. Just my two cents here…
Positive thought + Positive Attitude = Postive Action
Thanks again, Phil!
Keep the great topics coming.
Pam
[walks into the room and hugs Phil]
Hi Phil,
Do you think Frank Sinatra knew how right he got it when he sang, “Dobedobedoo?”
Your question is a perfect synopsis of Lisa Hanaberg’s book, Two Weeks to a Breakthrough.
Positive attitude alone keeps us in stargazing mode. It has to be continuously called forth in the midst of action, because our saboteurs like stasis and prefer to remind us of our smallness.
So Phil…I know you were revisiting your goals and working on right actions…did any of your goals change as a result of this weekend at SOBCon?
Interesting question, Phil.
With all of the talk on positive thinking, I find it is only those that have lived it, that get anywhere with it. I agree with the one person’s comment that said, you cannot have the positive action without first having the thought, but I have seen those that have had the thought without the action. That generally turns to bitterness from those I have observed, since they believe things will happen magically for them, as long as they just think good things.
Thinking is only a start; we need to take action to get anywhere. Just as a baby thinks it wants the toy it sees, it has to do something to try to get to it. The key word here, I think, is positive. I read something recently that said nothing has any meaning except the meaning we give to it. Thoughts, words, and actions, all have meaning if we want it to, so why not make it positive? We all need a bit more of that going around.
As a side note Phil, thanks for our comment on my blog, and I invite you to view my response.
Marie
I agree with Rich that it is circular, or perhaps a spiral. But if you have neither positive action or positive attitude, it’s best to start by taking some positive action.
For example, if you are feeling down, it’s pretty tough to just talk yourself into feeling better. However, you can start smiling and hugging folks – acting as if you felt great. In fairly short order, you will truly feel better.
Or, if you are having trouble feeling great about that big goal you set, it’s probably going to be tough to just convince yourself to think otherwise. However, if you break the goal down to the very next step that needs to be taken, and then take that step, your attitude will improve.
Once you take the first positive action, your attitude will improve and it will be easier to take the next positive action.
Kent
Positive action CAN happen without positive attitude. I vote that positive action is better!
LinkerJrPatrick: Whoa! GREAT comment. Thanks!
Rich: Good call. Living the positive attitude is an action. It’s certainly no accident!
Aaron: Great points. Thanks for expanding my thoughts!
Pam: Glad to help churn the brain on Monday. Excellent points. Thank you!
Lisa: More stretching genius from you. THANKS! I’ll answer your question about goals soon. I’m still refocusing back on life instead of just people, though people are a key part of my life.
Kent: Excellent comment my friend. More thoughts to churn on! Cool!
Deb: Thanks for your vote. I think the jury’s still out for many, so we’ll let this ride a bit.
Anyone else got an idea? Please share it! My thoughts at the end of the week!
Phil, I guess it all depends on what you mean by “positive attitude.” If we are talking about something intentional, like Rich said, then I think attitude is essential.
However, if we’re talking about the constant glowing smile thing. That kind of positive attitude is just delusional.
And I don’t want to be delusional. In fact, I can be a bit of a sarcastic cynic sometimes. (My wife calls it “Marcasm.”)
For me, the test of character is when I produce positive actions despite my own bad attitude.
Mark – very interesting. No Markasm here, just careful thought.
I’ll be sharing my full thoughts in an article soon. Thanks for sharing yours!