Mindset Check, Please

Kathy Klinger in Fort Wayne, Indiana this week sent me an outstanding quote from the great Winston Churchill. Check it out:

Let’s analyze.

1) That statement shouldn’t be nearly as profound as it is. The quote demands an “Oh, man!” and a “No duh!” at the same time. How can something so obvious be so profound? It must be (at least for me) that it cuts too close to the bone, that it too often perfectly depicts my faulty thinking.

2) The statement stands alone as an outstanding gut check whenever negative thoughts enter my head. When I negatively pre-judge a prospect that just got out of their car. When I adopt someone else’s negativity as my own. When I buy into the dour news coming from the television or newspaper. Decision time.

3) Inherent in the statement is the idea that pessimism is a choice. Likewise optimism. It is up to me, and me alone, to adorn my attitude in finery or in shabby rags.

4) I am left to believe that pessimism is a great scourge on sales professionals. It has neither value nor purpose. It cripples, hinders, restricts, hampers, encumbers, obstructs, impedes, and otherwise paralyzes effectiveness.

I choose today to be optimistic. I choose to see the best in the people I will meet. I choose to stare down adversity and accept that I will be a better person because of it. I choose optimism, and I don’t see much use for anything else.

And now you’ll excuse me – I need to go change the world now.