Ask any teammate at ACQ what the Number One Core Competency is at Acquirent and they will tell you that it starts and ends with a positive attitude. A positive attitude is essential at work and in life, because it leads us all to choose belief over doubt, to transform obstacles into opportunities and to determine victory regardless of outcome.
What’s interesting is that attitude is like a muscle and a positive attitude is something that must be grown, trained and nurtured over time. While there is no one standard archetype to do so, I have learned through my successes and failures that maintaining a positive attitude is all about developing positive habitual practices. Below are practices anyone can put into place to help develop a positive attitude; try one at a time or as many possible, they all result in the creation of a positive attitude.
- Find your cognitive distortions. Cognitive distortions are unrealistic or maladaptive thoughts which can have a negative impact on your attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs. Once the distortions are located follow the next step.
- Cognitive restructuring. Any time you are presented with a cognitive distortion, challenge it by putting a positive or more realistic spin on it. For example, “I didn’t get that promotion” could instead be “I didn’t get that promotion but that doesn’t mean I won’t get the next one.”
- Solutions and not problems. Don’t ruminate over problems and instead focus on potential solutions because solutions-based thinking better promotes optimism.
- Stay prepared. Because change is the only constant, you can minimize its potentially negative impact by proactively preparing for the possible effects, i.e. having an emergency savings fund.
- Know your strengths. By knowing your strengths you can put yourself into situations where you are more likely to succeed.
- Establish realistic goals. Being goal oriented will help motivate you. Following the S.M.A.R.T. Goals method is imperative.
- Never give up. At Acquirent we talk a lot about grit and the guts it takes to pick up the phone to do what we do each day.
In sales, what we do is hard and our CEO Joe Flanagan preaches the importance of a positive attitude all the time especially in our sales training. In business and in life, there are constant challenges and inherent rejections, it’s difficult to overstate the crucial role a good attitude has.[/fusion_text][one_third last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””][imageframe lightbox=”no” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”dropshadow” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
[/imageframe][/one_third][two_third last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””][fusion_text]Brett Merle has been part of the ACQ team for more than two years and contributes daily doses of enthusiasm for sales with his can-do attitude. In his free time he enjoys blogging, music, and traveling when able! Check back here for more contributions on topics such as Sales Training, Careers, etc.[/fusion_text][/two_third][/fullwidth]
