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“Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character.” – Albert Einstein
Your daily life is filled with a great diversity of both people and events.
Some of them are positive, some are negative and still others lie somewhere in the middle. Each of your interactions can have an effect on your attitude.
Smiles, laughter and positive news can lead to a good day while frowns, bickering and gloomy conversations tend to have the opposite result.
From a brief piercing glare to a lengthy upbeat conversation, the influence on your attitude can oftentimes be surprising.
On the flip side, as a financial advisor, your attitude can also influence others.
Walk into your office in an enthusiastic frame of mind and your staff will extend this feeling to your clients and prospects. Call your top clients while in a rotten mood and even your very best ideas will be poorly received.
As a professional, you owe it to yourself and everyone around you to stay upbeat.
Your attitude matters…
And though it may sometimes feel as if you don’t have control over your disposition — you do. The key is to quickly realize when you are straying from a productive frame of mind and get back on track.
"It isn’t always easy, but when you stop to reflect on your blessings or visualize impending success, your stress will go away and your outlook will improve."
It isn’t always easy, but when you stop to reflect on your blessings or visualize impending success, your stress will go away and your outlook will improve.
Over the years, I have witnessed a number of simple “attitude adjustment” techniques. Each is based on the concept that success is derived from a positive frame of mind.
From time to time you simply need to take a step back before moving forward.
Count your blessings — Never take for granted the many good things which abound in your life. Family, friends, good health, freedom and opportunity – just to name a handful. Whatever has you down is more than outweighed by your blessings. Close your eyes and visualize a fond experience or successfully achieving something you are working toward. This simple diversion can be a quick cure for the blues.
Listen to your favorite song — If music soothes the savage beast, it could certainly be a good tool for calming a rattled financial advisor. Dedicate a few songs on your iPhone to this purpose and keep it in your briefcase so you can pull it out when you need a lift.
Take a walk — If a little physical exertion would be a better remedy, simply get up from your desk and take a walk. It doesn’t matter if it is around the office or around the block; the key is to do it right away. The more you put it off, the longer your problems will fester. Alternatively, if you enjoy a daily workout, this might be a good time to head to the gym.
Call a friend or mentor — Most of us have a friend or mentor who can help us stay on track. If you have such an ally, give them a call if you need a lift. Whenever possible, keep it brief so you can get on with your day. (Caution: If this person is merely someone with whom you will commiserate and make the problem worse, find somebody else. Two negatives do NOT make a positive.)
Help someone else — Some of us find the act of helping someone else to be uplifting. Perhaps you have an assistant, a junior advisor or co-worker who looks to you for inspiration. Allow them to help you when you are down by finding a way to give them a word of encouragement. You will probably end up taking your own advice.
Circle the block — Some advisors start their days in a lousy frame of mind. The morning commute or worrying about all that needs to be done causes an anxiety that could doom the entire day. If this happens to you, circle the block or take a different route to the office. Try not to enter your office in a funk, your “dark cloud” will be obvious to those who work around you. Use the extra drive time to mentally organize your day as a series of opportunities and challenges in which you are excited to engage.
Read some words of inspiration — A book with inspirational quotes, your bible, a favorite poem or a cherished letter come to mind as potentially calming texts. Keep your inspirational reading in your desk drawer. When the stress of the day makes you feel like your attitude is beginning to wane, close your office door, put your phone on “do not disturb” and spend 10 minutes refreshing your mind.
Though at times it is easier said than done, catching yourself before you let a bad attitude get the best of you can be a solution for greater productivity and more fun.
Next time you find someone or something bringing you down, put one of these simple ideas to work.
Your relationships and your business will all be better off because of it.
What are some of the things you do to maintain a positive attitude?