Magic Words

“It is our attitude toward life that determines life's attitude towards us.”

I must have been about nine when that quote first entered my subconscious, growing up in Cuba, Illinois. My family’s morning breakfast routine was to listen to Earl Nightingale’s daily five-minute radio program, “Our Changing World,” on the local radio station: “WBYS - AM and FM—Canton, Illinois.” That jingle vividly echoes in my mind.

Nightingale’s deep, resonant voice captivated my imagination. Little did I know that program would have such a profound impact on my thinking. Subsequently, Earl Nightingale shared many profound quotes that have influenced my life.

“Your attitudes and expectations are a merciless reflection of you.”

I’m proud to say that I’m a life-long learner. A student of the game of life.

Almost 50 years later I still start my day with this positive daily routine. Set aside time just to listen, read, and reflect. All these years I’ve read and listened to many authors and speakers with a twist on the same message.

“We become what we think about, but the thinking is up to us.” - Earl Nightingale

Another author that deeply influenced me was Zig Ziglar. He said.

“If there is hope in the future, there is power in the present.”

It’s been my experience that the message in a quote is not always clearly received. For example, did you know that a positive attitude won’t allow you to do everything. But it will allow you to do what you do better.

I love to play golf. Now I’m miles, no, more like light-years away from a professional career in the sport. It’s early Saturday morning, a cool pleasant clear southern California day ahead. With an enthusiastic attitude and hope I load up my golf clubs make my way to the golf course. Listen carefully, I want to let you in on a little secret. A golfer hopes and dreams to someday shoot their age. 

For you non-golfers let’s use an executive course, par 56, to illustrate my example.  In my world, if you can shoot par you’ve done extremely well. This course has 18 holes. Each hole is a par three, there are two par fours. This means it should take a competent golfer, on average, three shots to sink the ball per hole. Professionals in the game would call this a retirees’ course.

My positive approach to every game is this; watch the ole’ timers carefully. Relax, smooth easy swings, and let the club work for you. This game is bound to be better than my last. With a few lessons, I’ve now become a decent ball striker and can shoot my age almost every outing . . . within the first eleven holes. Yes, you’re allowed to laugh.

Now, I’m here to tell you that when I step up to that first tee the most positive attitude in the world doesn’t guarantee that I’ll shoot a 56. Golf is a game of practice, skill, patience, and luck.

Regardless of what you’ve heard, golf is a fun game. Do I get discouraged? Well, honestly, Yes. But there are two magic words that keep me coming back to play, I used them throughout this example. Did you catch them? They are attitude and hope.

Hope that my next round will produce a better score. A positive attitude and high expectation get’s me to the golf course. And the challenge of improving my skill level is the rationale for continuing to play this illusive game.

“Hope is the foundational quality of ALL change.” - Alfred Adler.

Yes, words have a powerful influence on your performance. And the two most magic words in the dictionary are attitude and hope. Ask yourself, how have these words affected your performance as a student in the game of life?

So you’re next question is; What can I do now to change my attitude? Begin to act as though you have a good, positive, expectant attitude. Zig says it so well, “You must be before you can do. And you must do before you can have.”