How do you view your glass? Half Empty
or Half Full? Your answer to this age-old question about positive
thinking may reflect your outlook on life, attitude towards yourself,
and whether you're an optimist or a pessimist. This symbol is used
around the world to remind people to keep their positive attitude
towards life turned on.
While
I was researching this topic for a speech I had to present last week I
found this brief but to the point story about a several generation
family owned business that found the secret to keeping it successful
through the good and the bad times of our economy.
The Gardener’s Badge Story
A
landscape gardener ran a business that had been in the family for two
or three generations. The staff were happy, and customers loved to visit
the store, or to have the staff work on their gardens or make
deliveries - anything from bedding plants to ride-on mowers.
For as long as anyone could remember, the current owner and previous generations of owners were extremely positive happy people.
Most folk assumed it was because they ran a successful business.
In fact it was the other way around...
A tradition in the business was that the owner always wore a big lapel badge, saying Business Is Great!
The business was indeed generally great, although it went through tough times like any other. What never changed however was the owner's attitude, and the badge saying Business Is Great!
Everyone who saw the badge for the first time invariably asked, "What's so great about business?" Sometimes people would also comment that their own business was miserable, or even that they personally were miserable or stressed.
Anyhow, the Business Is Great! badge always tended to start a conversation, which typically involved the owner talking about lots of positive aspects of business and work, for example:
· the pleasure of meeting and talking with different people every day
· the reward that comes from helping staff take on new challenges and experiences
· the fun and laughter in a relaxed and healthy work environment
· the fascination in the work itself, and in the other people's work and businesses
· the great feeling when you finish a job and do it to the best of your capabilities
· the new things you learn every day - even without looking to do so
· and the thought that everyone in business is blessed - because there are many millions of people who would swap their own situation to have the same opportunities of doing a productive meaningful job, in a civilized well-fed country, where we have no real worries.
And so the list went on. And no matter how miserable a person was, they'd usually end up feeling a lot happier after just a couple of minutes listening to all this infectious enthusiasm and positivity.
It is impossible to quantify or measure attitude like this, but to one extent or another it's probably a self-fulfilling prophecy, on which point, if asked about the badge in a quiet moment, the business owner would confide:
"The badge came first. The great business followed."
For as long as anyone could remember, the current owner and previous generations of owners were extremely positive happy people.
Most folk assumed it was because they ran a successful business.
In fact it was the other way around...
A tradition in the business was that the owner always wore a big lapel badge, saying Business Is Great!
The business was indeed generally great, although it went through tough times like any other. What never changed however was the owner's attitude, and the badge saying Business Is Great!
Everyone who saw the badge for the first time invariably asked, "What's so great about business?" Sometimes people would also comment that their own business was miserable, or even that they personally were miserable or stressed.
Anyhow, the Business Is Great! badge always tended to start a conversation, which typically involved the owner talking about lots of positive aspects of business and work, for example:
· the pleasure of meeting and talking with different people every day
· the reward that comes from helping staff take on new challenges and experiences
· the fun and laughter in a relaxed and healthy work environment
· the fascination in the work itself, and in the other people's work and businesses
· the great feeling when you finish a job and do it to the best of your capabilities
· the new things you learn every day - even without looking to do so
· and the thought that everyone in business is blessed - because there are many millions of people who would swap their own situation to have the same opportunities of doing a productive meaningful job, in a civilized well-fed country, where we have no real worries.
And so the list went on. And no matter how miserable a person was, they'd usually end up feeling a lot happier after just a couple of minutes listening to all this infectious enthusiasm and positivity.
It is impossible to quantify or measure attitude like this, but to one extent or another it's probably a self-fulfilling prophecy, on which point, if asked about the badge in a quiet moment, the business owner would confide:
"The badge came first. The great business followed."
When
you read this story you most likely imagine your favorite Nursery in
your area but think about business' in your area that seem to thrive all
the time because when you walk in their door - you feel good! Those are the places that you will find me during this shopping season when money is so tight.
Here are some interesting facts that helped me come to the conclusion that there are benefits of being a positive thinker:
There was an article in the Birmingham Business Journal by Richard Brown(http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2001/12/24/focus2.html)
that reported that after a national survey of companies that were
asked: What counts more ... employee aptitude hard skills and technical
competencies or employee attitude soft skills including self-motivation,
commitment and communication? Nearly 60 percent of organizations
responding ranked attitude as the #1 concern. When the attitudes
deteriorate, so do commitment, loyalty and, most importantly,
performance.
The
article that I was most impressed with was by the Mayo Clinic staff
that states that Positive thinking helps with stress management and can
even improve your health. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/positive-thinking/SR00009
The section on determining if you are a positive thinker or a negative thinker is totally eye opening. Definitely a must read.
It
looks like there are many benefits to being a positive thinker. Here
are 5 things to gain by having a positive outlook on life that were
written by Arden Davidson -
1. Better Mental Health
2. Better Physical Health
3. A More Enjoyable Life
4. Attracting More People
5. Attracting Good Karma
In
conclusion; I would like to share with you my thoughts on being a
positive thinker. I work as an outside sales representative for my
company in an industry that has been hit very hard by the fall of the
economy. We all feel the financial stress terribly. It is my mission to
get up everyday with my GAME ON and make as many people happy and self
assured as possible. I believe in the theory of the Gardener's Story
above - we can set the tone for our day, week, life.
What will you do?
