[Midweek Drive] Your Attitude, Your Altitude

Long time ago in a town in Sierra Leone, a man by the name Mr Hay went on diamond exploration in a village. He mined tiredlessly for days without success. Then he got fed and went back home. Unaware, he was  inches close to the stratum of diamonds but turned back with frustration and tiredness written all over his face while Mr Bee heard the story of Mr Hay and decided to embark on same exploration. He also encountered failures and difficulties but he never gave up. He kept forging ahead without looking back. His doggedness and steadfastness finally paid as he eventually broke through the stratum of diamonds.

Mr Hay had a failed expedition while Mr Bee achieved success where Mr Hay failed. The difference between these men is what I call ATTITUDE.

What is Attitiude?

"Attitude can be defined as a settled opinion or way of thinking. It is a behaviour reflecting what you stand for. An attitude is the psychological response to a person, an object, to a situation, to society and to life itself that generally influence our behaviors and actions. In a clearer tone, It is the predeposition or tendency to respond positively or negatively towards a certain idea, object, person or situation."

Attitudes are either positive or negative. This came into play in the story narrated above. Mr Hay quitted when it got rough, lost his focus, allowed doubt to creep in, embraced failure and left with his tail between his legs. His attitude denote circumstancial negativity. Mr Hay personifies the attitude a lot of us portray towards life situation and challenges. We would've toiled and strive all our lives to accomplish a set goals. Our enthusiasm for success is high. But we become to lose faith in ourselves, doubt sets in and puncture our positive attitude and throw in the towels when the heat becomes too much to bear. At times, what we do not know is that we give up at the eleventh hour. We give up when we're a close to victory. And it takes a determined man like Mr Bee to make us realise that. 

I salute the stubbornly unyielding prowess of Mr Bee. It takes a superly bullheaded man to decide and determine to embark on a journey which another man had failed. I can't help but imagine the number of people that would've tried to talk him out of him. The friends that would've dissuaded him from his dreams. Family would've begged him to quit before even starting. People would've called him a lunatic for trying to make the impossible possible. But he never blinked. He barricaded himself from all insults, negative words and thoughts with a positive attitude. He donned this armour and set on his journey full of enthusiasm and optimism - which is to succeed where someone else failed.

Attitude influences an individual's choice of action and responses to challanges, incentives and rewards. Mr Bee had the options to listen to his environmental influences, he had the choice not to even bug himself about the minefield as someone else had failed on it, he had the choice to settle with every negative words hurled at him but no, he settled for a positive attitude. 

What kind of belief and attitude do you hold on to today? Are you a descendant of Mr Hay or Mr Bee? Are you a naysayer, the NO-man, the I-can't-do-it man? Why don't you make up your mind to be a YES-man. Be the man to stand out when the world say NO. You're a carbon copy of whatever you conceive in your heart. Whatever you feel, see, perceive or preconceive about yourself is what exactly you'll become. You can't outgrow what you feed your inner man. So, if you're the kind of person that feed yourself with the 'I-can't do it mentality', you'll always find yourself giving up even before circumstances present itself.

Success is not an accident, it is the result of our attitude. Your attitude determines your altitude. Failure is not a crime, it is lack of effort or at times, reinvigorative effort. So, work with effort, enthusiasm, optimism and vision. If you ever feel in life that all doors are closed. Remember these words, "A closed door is not always locked so turn the knob and give it a push at least." Think low and negatively, you'll find yourself hovering around the valley. Aim higher, think and act positively, you'll find yourself among the stars of the sky. The difference is always your attitude to situations.

Finally, embrace the diehard attitude. Cultivate the never-say-die habit. Talk to yourself that you won't give up come what may. Take a cue from Mr Bee and remain dogged in the heat of adversity. Look at the bright side of life. It's a matter of choice and repeated attempts. Learn to master your thoughts. Be steadfast, hold on to your dreams, keep your vision alive, raise your optimism and let nothing shift your centre of interest. Remember, Tough times don't last, only tough people do.

I'll leave you with this quote by J. Sidlow Baxter. "What is the difference between an obstacle and an opportunity? Our attitude toward it. Every opportunity has a difficulty, and every difficulty has an opportunity."

Think Positive!

Thanks for joining me today on another refreshing, reinvigorating and inspiring edition of Midweek Drive. Keep it a date with us same day next week. Until then, have a nice week ahead.

Author: LAMBE OLANREWAJU
Column: Midweek Drive

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