We choose our attitudes. Not others, but WE. It’s a daily decision that determines our direction. Positive or negative, we choose where the needle of our internal compass points us.
We Choose Our Attitudes
This past Thursday, our local business association held its monthly luncheon. At these luncheons, the Acworth Business Association recognizes their School of the Month. Usually, the routine allows the principal to bring their teacher of the year and they celebrate all the good going on in their schools. Then my buddy Todd Lollis presents the school with a $300 check and on to the next segment of the program.
This one was different. The principal decided to bring four elementary students who made the comments! Each had an old-fashioned index card with their comments to read from. These fifth graders shared some leadership gold. The one that impacted me most was, “We choose our attitudes.”
It was such a great perspective from a child. A Vantage Point that can make an adult reflect deeply on our own daily choices…our attitudes. It made me think about my kids and some lessons they have taught me in responding to someone else’s choice in attitude and how circumstances can impact ours.
Our Response to Someone Else’s Choice
Grant and I took a road trip up to Cookeville, Tennessee this weekend to watch the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles play the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons in baseball. Grant finished his high school double header on Saturday and we immediately jumped in the car and made the three hour drive North.
My first cousin once removed Brooks plays for Purdue Fort Wayne. Later that night, Grant and I were hanging out with my cousin Chad in the hotel room. Grant was showing Chad one of his wrestling matches where he upset an undefeated wrestler in his sectional tournament. He explained that at one point in the match, the kid shoved him out of bounds and into the trainer’s table. Not a great attitude!
Chad had asked Grant, “Did that make you mad?” He responded, “No…I just stayed calm, cool, and collected.” Probably wouldn’t have been Chad and I’s choice in attitude, but it was Grant’s and it served him well in the match.
As leaders, the attitudes of others can significantly influence our choice in attitude. Saboteurs(via AboutLeaders.com, Energy Vampires (Via Jon Gordon), On-Board Terrorists (via Kevin Paul Scott), and Negative Nancys lurk everywhere. If we allow their choice of poor attitude to impact ours, they win.
It takes great recognition to realize when these influential forces are actively attacking our attitudes. In response, stay “calm, cool, and collected” and make the right choice in attitude.
Circumstances Impacting Ours
My faith journey was significantly impacted by one passage of a book written by Dr. Meg Meeker. As a Christian, it can be difficult to convey my faith to others that is grounded in something humans cannot touch, feel, or apply “conventional” logic to. If we could, my God would just be an ordinary human being.
I’m not one who can recall enough scripture to debate someone who doesn’t believe. But, the nugget I took from her book has always been enough to simplify my faith to others. In her book, Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters, she simplifies the existence of God. In summary, when you look at your daughter peacefully sleeping, you know that science could not create that. Simple, yet so critically true.
I have always taken advantage of moments to reflect on that concept when I peek in and catch Ashtyn sleeping. She is a senior in high school and there are only so many more opportunities to get that validation of existence.
Now, the process of getting her from that peaceful state to up and functioning…a choice is made. She chooses borderline violence! Her attitude goes from sweet daddy’s girl at rest to demon possessed attitude in the blink of an eye. No gradual acceleration, pedal to the medal resistance and refusal!
Leaders experience similar transitions when things go from peaceful to chaotic. It can quickly, drive our choice in attitude from good to bad. The person previously perched up on the podium of success can quickly fall from that place. One disruption to our peace through trying circumstances can wobble the podium beneath our feet and result in a free fall spiral towards negative in the blink of an eye.
Conclusion
Kids are uniquely wired creatures. There is no greater responsibility, no greater cause than raising a child. As adults, it is easy to preach to them about the importance of the choice in their attitudes. It’s harder to live it out. Their eyes are ALWAYS fixed on us.
Leadership is very similar. The people we are entrusted to lead are watching us. They see our choices in response to other people’s attitudes and the circumstances that can impact ours. Every minute of every day. The results of those decisions heavily influence them and the culture we are trying to create. Our words must align with our behaviors.
According to Chat GPT, the average person makes 35,000 decisions a day. That is exhaustive to think about! In his post, Choices Are Everything, my friend Dr. George Manners considers our attitude as the most important choice we make every single day.
Great leaders choose a positive attitude. In the face of chaos, confusion, and critical circumstance. They make daily decisions to have faith in the good. There may be moments of question, seconds of doubt, but they bounce right back to the core of who they are. They choose a good attitude.
Don’t forget this impactful message from fifth graders…“We choose our attitudes.” What choice are we making?