Self belief incorporates motivation, resilience and a positive attitude! We’ve looked at motivation and resilience in previous challenges , this time we are tackling a positive attitude!
Having a positive attitude is one of those things people tend to think about when times are tough! “Smile”! Painting on your best smile on when things go wrong can be part of maintaining a positive attitude but it is about so much more than that…….
What is Positive attitude?
Your attitude is the way you act and how you think about things. It’s your reaction to different situations, tasks and people, and your outlook on the world.
Why is having a positive attitude important?
A good attitude is important as it shows you’re willing to put effort into your work, and will bring a positive presence to your office or workplace. Employers look for this as they know they can rely on employees with these traits to get the job done, as well as motivating others and creating a good atmosphere. If an interviewer can see that you’ll show up interested, enthusiastic and positive every day you will bring real value to the organisation, and that makes you more likely to be hired!
It’s not just about employers though, a positive mindset can help improve the way we take on challenges in school, sports and daily life. It can be exhausting always seeing the negative or seeing everything as challenge rather than opportunity. A positive attitude will also help you enjoy the experience of learning and growing with less fear and frustration, and make you great company to work with as part of a team.
What to remember:
Having a positive attitude doesn’t mean:
- you have to agree with everyone
- you have to say yes to everything
- you can never disagree
It is all about striking a balance. Don’t immediately dismiss things because you “can’t do them” or are “not good at it”, you have to at least try things and ask for help. In work or in group tasks try to think of alternatives and solutions rather than just insisting that a plan won’t work and bringing problems to the table.
Not every task will be something you love but you have to keep sight of the end objective and the skills you will be learning. Every body has a part of their job they like the least but it doesn’t mean it is a bad job, understanding better how you can motivate yourself to tackle that task and move on to the next challenge will help keep your head high and your attitude positive!
Think about what your actions and attitude say about you, if turn up late every single time you meet a friend it is fair that they start to think you are unreliable. The same can be true in a work environment too, if you show up late or at 08.58 each morning it can show a real lack of interest.
Ways to boost your positive attitude in school & work
- When you start a new project or activity, think of ways to enjoy that task
- If you make a mistake, treat any feedback you get as a helpful clue on how to improve and learn for next time. It’s fine to make mistakes and learn from them.
- Try to write down one thing you’re excited about each morning
Getting started with a challenge:
Create lists of things you are good at
Having a positive attitude about yourself and your skills can be boosted by creating a list of things you are good at. Think of 3 skills you would love to add to this list next year and start to think of ways you can develop those skills.
Top tip: ask your friends, parents and teachers too – we often don’t realise all the skills we have
Help other people
You always get a boost from helping other people. It also shows how positive your behaviour is.
Top tip: this can be as simple as helping your friends, colleagues or family do something you do really well or you could sign up to volunteer
Do things you enjoy
Enthusiasm comes more easily when you are doing something you enjoy, so try to do more of these things.
Top tip: making sure you have plans that interest you and look forward to can really help give you a boost when a pile of homework or a not so interesting task comes your way.
