“There is little difference in people but the little difference makes the big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.” ~W. Clement. Stone
Photo courtesy of Flickr user UggBoy
No one is immune to having a bad attitude from time to time. Life has its ups and downs. Living with chronic pain, dealing with tough financial circumstances, and working for a bad boss can be triggers for bad attitudes. Trust me, I know. I’ve been there. It’s when the undesirable behaviors persist and negative thoughts become habitual in our thinking that we begin to derail and block our success. And what I’ve discovered is most people with bad attitudes don’t realize they have them.
I wrote this article to help you conduct a personal attitude assessment so that you can avoid letting the inevitable ruts we all experience in life become long-term blockages to your success arteries which are the people who you associate with.
Take action to correct your attitude if you demonstrate any of the following 6 reasons why other people would think your attitude sucks.
1. Constant Complaining
People with bad attitudes complain and complain and complain. Nothing is ever good enough. The language of hope has been replaced with the language of victimization. Chronic complainers get labeled as one of the people who drive us crazy, and they pay a heavy price for that unflattering reputation.
2. Overuse of the Word “Can’t”
Record the conversation with a bad attitude person, and you will be told what they “can’t” do or what “can’t be done”. They also demonstrate a “me against the world” attitude by using all inclusive terms such as “everybody”, “everyone”, “nobody”, and “no one”. Statements such as, “Nobody cares,” “Everybody is against…” are regularly stated. Unfortunately, when such phrases are used regularly, it’s a sign that the person believes it to be true making the bad attitude much more resistant to change.
3. Blaming Others and Making Excuses
Closely associated with reason #2 above, people with bad attitudes will blame others for their circumstances. They will also make chronic use of excuses. Avoidance of accountability and responsibility are one of the first signs of the onset of a bad attitude, so it is vitally important to intervene rather than let the blaming and deflection continue.
4. Always Stating Conspiracy Theories
People with bad attitudes use conspiracy theories to downplay, disregard, or discredit any actions that are in contradiction with their negative thinking. This is a particularly insidious behavior because having a conversation with a person with a bad attitude and strong passion can escalate into an intense war of words…or worse.
5. Refusing to Change
People with bad attitudes who blame and deflect responsibility are convinced the problem is not them, and therefore there is no need to consider changing. Even more challenging is the faux change offer – making offers to change only for the purpose of negotiation and with no intention of following through. It’s a very classic sign of an attitude gone bad.
6. Attacking and Discrediting Others
Finally, people with bad attitudes will openly attack the reputation and credibility of others, and they will have no qualms discrediting the actions of others.
The onset of a bad attitude rarely happens very quickly and is more apt to happen in stages. If you know you’ve demonstrated any of the 6 reasons above, take action to fix your attitude. If adversity is the trigger for yours or someone else’s bad attitude, read and share 6 Proven Strategies to Overcome Adversity. It provides a simple yet complete action plan for converting adversity into prosperity. Everyone forgives an occasional and temporary demonstration of bad behavior. Failing to correct the bad behavior will lead to a very heavy price to pay in the long run – one that is avoidable and fixable.
The Floor is Yours
What are other signs of a bad attitude? What have you seen people do when they show off a bad attitude at work or at home? Please share your feedback in the comments below.
For more tips and strategies on creating a winning attitude and growing your success, email us at info@ictscorp.com, explore the rest of this website, subscribe to this blog, and follow me on social media (Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook). By doing so, you will gain access to leading edge research on management and leadership development and have access to daily inspirational and motivational quotes that will drive your success trajectory upward. So don’t delay, follow me and think yourself to success today!
Taking everything personally. Such people have difficulty understanding that negative things happen independent of them.