Seattle’s Lake Union, taken from the top of the World Famous Space Needle
So I just got back from Seattle, WA, where I accomplished one of my Life List goals of going to the top of the Space Needle, but I’ll save that story for another post.
The reason for this post is to make you aware of a trend I noticed along my journey.
I was in Seattle for about a week, and basically walked everywhere I went. Being a bit of a people watcher, I noticed a few things while I was out and about during the day.
The Negativity of the Streets
I noticed folks such as service industry workers, retail workers, and others on the lower rungs of society carrying themselves in a very negative way. They often spoke of “the man,” taxes, not getting paid enough, and even the infamous 99%. They routinely ignored those around them, were often complaining, and overall had very negative way of going about their day.
It was like they didn’t have any gratitude for anything, and it definitely affected the way people saw them.
The Positivity of the Successful
On the flip side of that, I also noticed a trend in those who had experienced a bit of success in their lives. These people weren’t king kong successes by any means. They were aspiring entrepreneurs, mid-level managers, and website owners much like myself.
But there was something different about them.
They were very pleasant to be around. They carried themselves in a very positive manner. They went out of their way to praise their peers, many of whom they were in competition with. They answered questions from people who they barely even knew. And they always made it known how grateful they were to be in the positions they were in.
These people were nearly always smiling, were full of life and energy, and had almost magnetic welcoming auras about them. It made them very approachable and a pleasure to be around.
The Incredible Power of Positive Thinking
Don’t think the mid-level manager and the entrepreneurs of the world don’t have anything to be stressed about. They most certainly do. They just choose to focus on the positives.
And don’t think the service industry workers have nothing positive going on in their lives. They just choose to focus on the negatives.
Do you think this type of mindset has something to do with the positions each one of them are in? I have no doubt about it. At one point or another these people were all in the same situation with the whole world at their fingertips.
The Life Lesson
A huge huge part of how you carry yourself, how you feel each and every day, and your overall mindset about life comes down to what you choose to focus your thinking on.
Like the successful folks in the story above, direct your focus on the positive things in your life, and strive to be the best person you can be.
This type of mindset is one of the top things that will ultimately determine your level of success.
What are some of the positive things in your life that you are grateful for? Let’s hear about them in the comments below.
