From Job Seeker Weekly:

 

Article:	Want Success? Attitude is Everything

By George Blomgren

To one extent or another, most of us can agree that our beliefs and attitudes shape our realities. While this is true in every aspect of our lives, I'd like to suggest that it's most apparent and tangible in the realm of employment.

What's the essential difference between the employee in the corner office and the one cleaning offices in the evening? (By the way, I'm not implying that either is a better person, but their career status is undeniably different.) The key difference is simply attitude. Each is where they belong, in their own minds. Of course, one office cleaner may be embarking on a career she knows will ultimately take her to the top, another may be enjoying real job satisfaction, while a third feels demeaned and bored. These too are just attitudes.

If you've read my previous articles, you may be saying, "I thought the key to success is education." Or, "You said in your last article that networking was the best path to success." Some would argue that socio-economic background, interviewing skills or confidence are the real fundamental factors.

But let's turn these ideas around for a moment. What if all these things are merely "symptoms" of (or indirectly linked to) deep-seated attitudes?

What if the woman in the corner office came from a wealthy family -- but it only matters because it taught her to believe that success is within her reach? What if the CEO has an MBA -- but it is only significant because he's the type of person who tackles anything (such as education) he thinks may help him be more successful?

What are your beliefs about success? And, can you do anything to improve them?

You're not likely to dramatically alter deep-seated attitudes, but you can influence them. Based on that idea, following are two suggestions that might help you "reprogram" some of your beliefs about success, thereby removing some huge obstacles that exist exclusively in your own mind.

1. Sit down and make a quick list of actions, qualities, and activities that you associate with successful people. Don't analyze it, just brainstorm. After you have compiled a list, consider what you've come up with. How many items on your list apply to you? If most don't apply, why? Should they? If they are healthy, constructive things, perhaps you should consider making them part of your life. The basic idea here is that, if you want to be successful, act like a successful person.
    
2. For the second activity, you'll need some help. Find someone who can act as a mentor - more of a counselor than a friend. What you're going to do is find the success stories in your life. The successes are there, but many of us don't recognize our own best accomplishments. Stories of adversity, perseverance, perhaps even heroism. At school, at home, at church, in sports, on the job. One angle to consider is simply big challenges you've faced and overcome. Another part of your past to explore is times you've helped others.

The mentor you've recruited should understand what your goals are. To be helpful, they should "interview" you, probing for more information. With a fresh perspective, they should be able to see success in memories so familiar to you, you may no longer recognize them for what they are. The goal is to make a list of success stories, at least two or three, that you can take pride in. Ideally, they are relevant to an employer. If you're really fortunate, during your next job interview, you may face the question "tell me about a time when you tackled a really big challenge." Even if they never come up in interviews, though, this exercise may help challenge old beliefs that you aren't successful - by reminding you of important successes you have enjoyed.

There is a second important benefit that can occur from this exercise. As you distill your life experiences into highlights - moments of success - you may well learn some things about yourself. Let's say you've worked a lot of jobs in manufacturing. But the list you come up with focuses on times you were able to really help other people. Perhaps you'll agree that, based on this information, you may want to reconsider your career choices.

These probably sound like exercises in exaggerated positive thinking and excessive virtue. Really, they don't have to be. They can be quite the opposite.

The most "successful" person I know is quite a jerk. I've known him since he was about 10 years old. He knew back then he wanted money and success and he wouldn't let anything stop him. Over time, he hasn't wavered in his beliefs. (It would be interesting to see the list of "success characteristics" he'd come up with for activity No. 1!) Nor has he let anything get in his way. He's the wealthiest person I know, and it appears to be the inevitable result of his attitudes about success. However, he's also in a lot of trouble with the SEC, and he's on his fourth marriage.

So, I suppose one last suggestion worth making is: Choose your beliefs -- and your attitude -- carefully!

George Blomgren is Operations Manager for The Benefit Companies. Drawing on a diverse professional background, George is no stranger to either side of the hiring process. He is involved in a variety of hiring and staffing projects, and is an active career mentor through Milwaukee's AbilITy Connection program.