Book Summary: Attitude Is EveryThing
Change your mindset, and your life will change.
Author: Jeff Keller
Book Size: 124 pages
Book available: Amazon, For free pdf you can contact me through my profile
Moral and Introduction:
Multiple concepts on attitude are covered in Attitude Is Everything. The book discusses how to use the magic of our attitude to achieve our life goals. We, humans, tend to dwell on the unpleasant aspects of life. This negative attitude has an effect on others you complain to, and also your thoughts and actions. This negative attitude and behavior keep you from achieving your objectives.
Your attitude has a big impact on your chances of success in all aspects of your life. Jeff Keller emphasizes that the impact of your ideas, words, and actions on your achievement is different for everyone. You should always turn threats into opportunities and picture your success when it comes to thoughts. Then, use these good thoughts as a springboard for positive replies and a reduction in unnecessary whining. Finally, begin taking action so that you can learn from your mistakes and meet individuals who can assist you on your journey.
#1: Our circumstances are determined by our thoughts.
The understanding that our ideas dominate and determine our situations is the cornerstone of this work. Your outlook on life and the people next to you is your window to the rest of the world. You can do anything if you believe you can. If you don’t believe you can, you won’t be able to. You’re correct in either case because your attitude will influence your results. It’s a classic example of a self-fulfilling prophecy. As a result, make an effort to adopt a more positive mindset.
#2: Your Mental Filter Is Your Attitude
Attitude, according to Keller, is the mental filter by which we perceive the world. Some of us see society through an optimistic lens, while others see society through a pessimistic lens. Some regard the glass as half full, while others see it as half empty. Keller believes that you have control over your attitude, so keep your worldview pure and clear.
Keller uses the analogy of windows to explain his idea. Your window provides you with a unique worldview. When we’re young, we all start with a clean window. Our window, however, becomes filthy with age as a result of everything life can throw at us: criticism, mockery, rejection, and failure.
This filth is what causes us to question our talents. Negative attitudes are fueled by doubt. It is our responsibility to maintain our worldview pure. To put it another way, attempt to maintain a cheerful outlook. Instead of negativity, use an optimistic filter. You should use the phrase “I can” instead of “I can’t.” Then, once your window is clean, you can see that the world outside is full of possibilities.
We can select our attitude toward our situations, as well as all of our behaviors and responses if we can control our attitude towards our circumstances. Keller uses the thinking of Victor Frankl, an author, and concentration camp survivor, as an example. Frankl believed that naturally pessimistic individuals were more likely to perish in concentration camps, whilst those who were optimists were more likely to find hope and strength.
#3: Positive Thoughts Attract Success
We are, at our most basic level, human magnets. Success will follow if we think of positive things and outcomes. What we think about becomes who we are.
The concept of “dominant thinking” is introduced by Keller. The day is ruled by your dominating thoughts. If you think favorably about a goal regularly, you will take action to achieve it. However, if you have a negative mindset, you will never take that first step. We will produce “bad” actions if we think negatively all of the time. These are actions that do not help us achieve our objectives.
As a result, you must practice positive thinking. Make it a habit to think of good ideas. Your convictions have led you to where you are now. Your road forward will be determined by how you think about things from now on.
Keller adds that becoming conscious of what you say to yourself is one approach to improve your thinking. You can also listen to motivating programs and read positive books daily. The secret to success is repetition.
Keller also cautions readers against expecting instant achievement when it comes to accepting good attitudes. We can be as optimistic as we want, but it doesn’t imply we should anticipate immediate results.
#4: We learned how to visualize from a young age.
We use visualization to help us understand our situation. You’ve been using visualization since you were a child, and you should keep doing so. Keller invites readers to visualize mental movies in their heads, visualizing each milestone as a step toward their ultimate objective. You must also clear your mind of previous mental images that conjure up negative feelings such as failure and disappointment. If you’re still failing, it’s because you’re clinging to images of low aspiration or failure. Keller uses the example of singer Celine Dion to illustrate his point. She envisaged herself singing in front of a large crowd and earning numerous accolades since she was five years old. She kept these optimistic ideas in her mind throughout her life, and she eventually realized her dreams.
#5: Do Whatever It Takes
Keller asks his audience whether they are willing to go to any length to achieve their goals. The determination to go to any length to achieve your goals is crucial. As a result, make this promise to yourself. You will be determined to achieve your goal once you have provided this commitment. Once you’ve committed, positive things will start to happen. People in your immediate vicinity will begin to assist you in achieving your goal. It won’t be easy, but you can move mountains if you don’t give up. Keller uses the example of Benjamin Roll, who passed the California bar exam at the age of 74. He never gave up on his aim, and on his fourteenth attempt, he passed the exam.
#6: In Problems, Look for the Lesson
It’s critical to consider how you respond to issues and disappointments. People begin to question themselves, their situations, and their luck in general. You do, however, have a choice after this initial letdown. You can choose between two options:
- Continue to be unhappy. OR
- Take what you’ve learned from your setbacks and move on.
You can either focus on the negative or look for the positive in a situation. Frequently, “problems” aren’t even true issues. Instead, they’re simply opportunities to do something good. They enable you to improve and perform better in the future. Adversity motivates us to make the changes we need to make in our lives and to realize our full potential.
Failures help us gain perspective. Failures teach us to be appreciative of the minor victories in life. Keller mentions Napoleon as an example, quoting him as saying, “Every misfortune holds the seed of an equal or greater reward.”
#7: Use Positive Self-Talk to Your Advantage
Words have a tremendous amount of power. Words, according to Jeff Keller, can either construct your future, demolish your possibilities, or perpetuate the status quo. Your word choices will reveal a lot about who you are. Keller expands on the formula outlined in the book Treasures of the Capitalist Mind: How to Think Like a Billionaire: T –> F –> A = R. Thoughts elicit feelings, which elicit actions, which elicit results. Keller expands on this idea by saying: Words –> Beliefs –> Actions –> Results. We should use our words wisely since they eventually lead to our outcomes. When you use your thoughts to criticize yourself, it reinforces your gloomy thoughts. As your beliefs become increasingly negative, you will be unable to take positive action. As a result, you should practice positive self-talk as much as possible and only discuss your aspirations with supportive individuals.
#8: Exaggerate Your Happiness When Answering Questions
According to Keller, the most often asked inquiry is, “How are you?” It’s a simple question, yet we answer it so frequently that it has a big impact on us. You have three options for answering this question. You can give a positive, average, or negative reaction. Negative responses deplete energy from us and those around us, therefore we should avoid them at all costs.
This is because our words have an impact on our bodies. If you answer “terrible” to the question “How are you?” your posture and emotions will reflect that. As a result, Keller argues that we should always respond with “terrific” or “excellent” when asked this question. Simply uttering these phrases can make you feel more confident and have a more optimistic outlook. Feelings are frequently subjective.
#9: Only Share Your Big Worries
It’s fine to talk about your problems to come up with solutions. Sharing your concerns with family and friends can be a beneficial experience at times. However, moaning about your back pain, headache, or sickness will not make you feel better. There is no advantage to moaning about this type of problem because there is no clear remedy. Complaining or ranting isn’t helpful to the listener and isn’t helpful to you. Instead, concentrate on the positive aspects. Keller, for example, recalls William Penn, an early American colonist and author, who said, “The key of pleasure is to count your blessings while others heap up their woes.” Pick up a pen and a piece of paper, and write down all the reasons you have to be thankful. When you’re in the mood to whine, this is a fantastic response.
Complaining only serves to divert your attention away from the necessary steps to improve the problem.
#10: Surround Yourself With Good Feelings
We are the sum of all the people with whom we spend time. This is because the individuals with whom we spend the majority of our time have a significant impact on our ideas and actions. They are the foundation of our worldview and future.
Keller distinguishes between two types of persons in our lives: dangerous and nourishing.
Toxic people tend to focus on the negative. They are attempting to bring you down to their level. They tell you things you can’t do and drain you of your good energy.
People who are nourishing are also positive and supportive. They make you feel better and are a joy to be around. So, if you want to cultivate a positive mindset, you should spend less time with poisonous individuals and more time with nourishing ones.
Time spent with people lacking ambition will infiltrate your attitudes and beliefs. You’ll be on your way to failure if you do this. What we become is shaped by the people we associate with. As a result, you should look for the good who have objectives in life and the will to attain them.
#11: Take a Gamble and Leave Your Comfort Zone
You should be prepared to be in discomfort if you choose to be successful. You must leave your comfort zone to reach your objectives. People that succeed face challenges to overcome, and you must stretch yourself to progress.
Although this advice may appear easy, most people nevertheless shy away from frightening circumstances and avoid taking action. Scary challenges, on the other hand, might occasionally help you get closer to your objectives. As a result, you must confront your concerns on occasion.
Running away from what you’re afraid of has negative implications as well. Backing away from a situation can just damage your self-esteem and make you feel helpless and frustrated. Recognize that avoiding unpleasant situations is hurting your achievement.
As you prepare to face difficult obstacles, maintain a positive mindset. This will give you the strength to face problems and overcome hurdles in life. It is critical to practice since overcoming one difficulty makes the next one simpler to conquer.
#12: After you’ve failed, turn it up.
We must be prepared to fail as well as overcome barriers. You can’t develop new talents if you avoid failure. Those who have learned to fail their way to success are those who have learned to succeed by failing. You must be willing to fail today to succeed tomorrow.
You must persevere after a setback. Each time you fail, learn from your mistakes and progress. After one failure, work with twice the zeal on the next chance you have. Sally Jessy Raphael, a TV talk show host, is an example given by Keller. She was dismissed eighteen times and went twenty-six years without paying her credit card bills. She had to rely on food assistance to make it big in the industry.
Remember, you can’t call yourself a failure until you’ve given up totally. “Failures” are only interim results that differ in gauging how effective you were and how they could re-direct you toward your goals before you quit.
#13: Make a network of people who will back you up.
The final lesson in Jeff Keller’s book emphasizes the value of teamwork and networking. Your efforts will be accelerated and your achievements will be enhanced by networking. You want to build a network of people who can assist you in achieving your objectives. Spend time also being a good team player for others. You will gain assistance if you are positive and willing to help others.
The more relationships you develop, the better your chances of success become. You can’t accomplish great things on your own. Others can assist you in obtaining new clients and business leads, resolving issues, and providing useful information and resources.
To ensure that you are networking effectively, you should engage with the following essential elements from this lesson:
- Create a win-win mindset.
- Participate actively in groups and organizations.
- When you give to others in your network, you will get.
- Maintain contact with your peers.
- Develop your listening skills and respect each person’s thoughts as equally significant.
- Meet new individuals in your field and create new friends.
- When someone achieves any of their objectives, remember to praise and congratulate them.
