ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING
Your attitude is defined as “the set of emotions, beliefs, and behaviors you hold toward a particular object, person, or situation.” It’s the lens through which you see every part of your experience, and it’s the key determiner in how you approach whatever it is that’s in front of you today. The truth is, when it comes to how you perform, what you choose to do, and who it is you’re working to become…your attitude is everything.
The famous writer and preacher Charles Swindoll said it best. “The longer I live,” he said, “the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say, or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home.”
“The remarkable thing,” he continues, “is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our attitudes.”
I imagine Charles Swindoll sitting and thinking, reflecting and recording his thoughts on attitude. Based on the conviction of his message, it seems he just couldn’t get past a couple key concepts when it comes to this topic. First, his experiences simply wouldn’t allow him to overlook or diminish its importance. He lists some of those things we typically put a high value on - our past, our circumstances, even our successes and failures. Those things matter, of course, to each of us. I’m sure they matter to you here today. But nothing, Swindoll is convinced, is more important than our attitude. It will make or break whatever it is we’re working to build.
Second, it seems Swindoll just couldn’t get past the fact that this critically important, fundamental component of life - of who we are and what we do - is totally controllable. There are so many important elements of this experience that aren’t up to us, and yet the one that matters most, the one that ultimately determines our fate, is completely up to us! He’s imploring us to recognize and embrace the power we’ve been given to choose.
Each of us here today would be well served to emulate Charles Swindoll’s mindset and perspective on attitude. We should recognize and embrace the important role it plays in how we perform, what we choose to do, and who it is we’re working to become. We should recognize and embrace the power we’ve been given to choose in this area that matters so much. We should recognize and embrace the truth...that our attitude is everything.