Your attitude and your altitude

Your attitude will determine your altitude.

It’s not just skills, talent, or education; it’s how you handle your situation and it all depends on your attitude. Consider the following scenario and talk to yourself:

I woke up early today, excited about all I could do before the clock struck midnight.

I have responsibilities to fulfill today.

I am valued and I can contribute.

My job is to choose what kind of day I will have.

Today, I can complain about the rainy weather or be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.

Today, I can feel sad that I don’t have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.

Today, I can grumble about my health or rejoice that I am alive.

Today, I can lament over all that my parents didn’t give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.

Today, I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.

Today, I can mourn my lack of friends or excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.

Today, I can whine because I have to go to work or shout for joy because I have a job to do.

I can complain because I have to go to school or eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.

Today, I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or feel honored because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind, body, and soul.

Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped.

And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.

What today will be like is up to me.

I get to choose what kind of day I will have!

Now, that’s what I call attitude.

Many people are talented, educated, and skillful, but they could never achieve success in life because they have an attitude problem. What makes it worse is that the same people never get to utilize their strengths and benefit others because they are too absorbed in themselves. They watch movies, scrutinize TV programs, and then pick up on the garbage of their favorite characters with attitude problems and use it in their daily lives. No wonder they can’t get anywhere. These same people frown on old-fashioned virtues like courtesy and politeness, respect for elders and women, and the need to be tactful and discreet. And then they wonder why they can’t succeed in life. A bad attitude may grab a lot of attention in show business, but it doesn’t do a single good thing for you in real life.

Here’s a winning attitude I would like to share with you:

Submit to authorities and serve those who are below you. This is a winning principle.

Every employee thinks they’re smarter than their bosses. This is a natural aberration.

Yet, once they get their pay envelopes on payday and compare them with the ones their bosses are getting, they will have to realize that their bosses somehow accomplished much to get to where they are today. And I bet you it’s attitude.

Maintain an attitude of learning, humility, hard work, perseverance and courage—facing failure without fear and success without pride. The Bible advises us to consider others better than ourselves and to avoid corrupt communication. In simple terms, stay humble, let your actions speak for you, and avoid getting influenced by the toxic advice of fake gurus offering absurd life hacks. These so-called “influencers” often have a problematic attitude themselves.

(Francis Kong’s “Inspiring Excellence” podcast is now available on Spotify, Apple, Google, or other podcast streaming platforms.)