Is The Glass Half-Empty or Half-Full? 3 Tips To Help You Become More Positive

"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't - you're right!."

- Henry Ford

I took my first philosophy class in college when I was 18. One weekend, I thought I would enlighten my nieces and nephews, who were between 11 and 13 years old at the time, with some questions to ponder. I filled up a glass half-way and asked them the question: is the glass half-full or half-empty?

“Full?” One of my nieces asked.

“Actually, I think it’s more than half-way full,” one of my nephews comments.

I stopped them at once to try to explain what the question meant and how it reflected the point of view people might have on life. I thought I clarified things a bit more, but shortly after, one of my nieces asked, “…so did we get it right?”

It’s difficult to change the perception of adults. Adults have too many years of negative thoughts and bad habits under their belt that it makes it difficult to change their ways or become more positive. Yes, it’s difficult for someone to be 100% positive 100% of the time, but having a positive mind set will completely change your life.

Noticed that I said that it’s difficult, not impossible to change the perception of adults. There are ways to think more positively and below are just a few that have helped me personally.

Change your vocabulary

Have you noticed if you commonly use negative words like ‘can’t’, ‘impossible,’ or ‘no’? This is a habitual vocabulary that you developed over time that can be reversed. Below are some examples of how you can change the words you use. Make sure you make it a routine to change your vocabulary.

Negative comments	Positive comments
I can’t do that	How can I do that?
That’s impossible	How can I make it possible?
I’m not good enough	How can I get better?

Surround yourself with positive people

There are certain people that can be easily influenced by others. This could be a bad thing if the people influencing you are negative. Negativity and positivity is contagious. Surround yourself around people who will influence you in a good way and who believe in you. If you can’t think of anyone, it might be time to find a new crowd.

Focus on accomplishments

Most of the time we focus on what we could have done better or what we need to improve and completely forget the things we’ve done well. Start a log, a journal or a diary where you can write down your accomplishments for the week. (Read Can You Answer This OneSimple Question About Last Week?). I typically do this on Friday. On Fridays, I think back and try to come up with at least 3 accomplishments I had for the week. This routine has helped me in two ways: (1) I feel more accomplished and (2) I now think about what I want to accomplish for the following week.

There is no right way to become a positive thinker. All it takes is some effort and consistent habits to see a glass that is half-full.  

Don't forget to share this blog so you can encourage others: family, co-workers, friends. Give them something to get motivated! You never know what they might be going through. A few words of encouragement can go a long way.

3 Ways To Measure Your Success

"Success is a journey rather than a destination."

- John C. Maxwell

When I was in High School I played varsity soccer as a striker. During one of our tournament games our team fell apart making mistake after mistake and not working together to win the game. Some of my teammates yelled harshly at each other because they weren’t passing the ball and one of my teammates said he didn’t want to play with us anymore. Despite our issues, we ended up winning the game 3-2 and advanced to the semi-finals.

As I began to take ownership of my professional development a few years ago, my mindset changed about what it meant to be successful. Do you only achieve success through winning? What if you won a game but played terribly?

I stumbled upon a book about leadership in the bookstore on my way to Texas a few years ago and I fell in love with the author’s words. John C. Maxwell changed my perception about success, leadership and other aspects of life. I learned from him that success is not a destination, but more of a journey and there are three key factors that will define your success.

Success is…knowing your purpose in life

We were all created for a purpose in this life. Knowing your purpose is not only self-fulfilling but it’s the answer to ‘why are we here.’ According to Maxwell, there are four questions that will help you get closer to an answer:

• For what am I searching?
• Why was I created?
• Do I believe in my potential?
• When do I start?

Success is…growing to reach your maximum potential

If you agree with Maxwell that success is more of a journey instead of a destination, then you can see why growth is a huge part of success. Many times we might feel like we’re growing professionally but that there is no end result to get to. This is actually a good thing! When we stop learning, we stop growing. As Maxwell would say, “our potential is probably our greatest untapped resource.”

Success is…sowing seeds that benefit others

Success isn’t accidental and most successful people never became successful by themselves. Success typically comes with help from others. As Maxwell, plainly puts it, “It’s been said that we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Don’t forget those that have helped you on your path to success and don’t hesitate to lend a hand to others in need.

Playing soccer in my younger years made me believe that winning was everything and only through victories would I be able to achieve success. Now, I have learned that success is not a trophy or a medal. Success is more than that. Enjoy the ride. 

Don't forget to share this blog so you can encourage others: family, co-workers, friends. Give them something to get motivated! You never know what they might be going through. A few words of encouragement can go a long way.

Know The First Step To Become Successful

"In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than  your fear of failure."

- Bill Cosby

A few years ago I made a goal for myself. My goal was to make it a habit to read one book every month. Eventually, some of the books turned into audiobooks, but I still stayed true to my goal even to this day. In the early months of my goal, I read books about successful people and tried to figure out how they became successful so that I can follow their footsteps. Book after book, I learned about different successful people and their “secrets” to success.

As I read more and more books, I realized something I didn't realize early in my career. The books I read were great, but there was one huge problem I encountered. I felt as though I followed a certain trend after reading each book. Each book pumped me up to do something the book said I should do but I was going nowhere. Yes, the books helped me with my career but they didn't necessarily help me solve my huge problem.

The Definition of Success

What was my huge problem? I realized that I never defined the word success. I didn't know what success meant to me. Before I continued on my path to nowhere, I decided to sit down and think about what success really meant in my life. What was it that I was striving for?

People have a different definition of success. Some people believe money is everything and how much money they make defines their success. Other folks look for happiness. In fact, I've met a lot of people who have said that they define success as how happy they are. Many people might define success as living your ultimate lifestyle. In other words, you can pretty much do whatever the heck you want. I can go on and on about the different ways success is defined but my goal at the time was not to follow someone else’s definition. My goal was to come up with my own.

How Do You Define Success?

As I continued to read and discover what success meant to me, I realized that defining success was the first step to becoming successful. How would I become successful if I never knew what success was? I also realized that this whole time I was defining success the way a book defined it but never the way I wanted to define it.

If you've never thought about your own definition of success, maybe it’s time to start now. How would you define success? Is it providing for a family or achieving a dream? Is it more spiritual than tangible? It might take you days or even years to define it, but, as I discovered, it is a step closer to getting to your final destination. 

Don't forget to share this blog so you can encourage others: family, co-workers, friends. Give them something to get motivated! You never know what they might be going through. A few words of encouragement can go a long way.