Cherish The Possibilities

At the invitation of Dr. Beth Blakely, I wrote and delivered a 45 minute, keynote speech to the Placer County Chapter of the ABWA on August 10, 2010, entitled "The Power of a Positive Attitude."  I enjoyed delivering this speech because it gave me the opportunity to talk about something that can often be taken for granted---that having a posivite attitude can be just as important, sometimes even more so, than having the right aptitude.

When I was in graduate school, I dreaded, and I mean absolutely dreaded, taking statistics.  I dreaded it so much that I left it as one of my last classes to take before I graduated.  Even the thought of having to take statistics made me grouse.  After all, I was a communicator.  I was a thinker.  I was made to work with people directly.  What use did I have for statistics?  Well, maybe none, I thought, but in order to graduate with Masters Degree in hand, I had to come to grips with taking the class. 

And, that is exactly what I did.  I not only came to grips with it.  I made a game out of it.  I made a deal with myself.  Every statistics lecture I made it through without falling asleep would equal another round of golf I could play.  Every statistics test I passed with a B or better, I would allow myself to purchase a new piece of jewelry, and boy how I love my jewelry!  The thought of a reward turned my sour attitude into a more positive attitude, and guess what?  No, I didn't pass the class with an A, but I passed the class with a B; I improved my golf swing; and, I now have a nice little jewelry collection going.  And, oh, yes, I did end up getting that Master's Degree.  

Sometimes, a positive attitude is hard to come by. But, I tell you what---striving for one has never failed me yet.