The One Thing That Predicts Your Success in Anything

Success in anything is determined by how you approach everything.

In his outstanding Podcast “The Difference Maker: Making Your Attitude Your Greatest Asset”, John Maxwell says attitude isn’t everything yet it can make a huge difference in your life. Not only is it a huge difference maker, it is often a strong predictor of success in anything. Just like you, I can walk into a room of 25 people and within minutes can accurately predict who will NOT reach their potential. Our gut instincts are basing our predictions almost exclusively on their attitude.

There are several ways attitude serves as a great predictor of success in anything, and here are the top 5 ways I’ve discovered your attitude reveals your ability to reach your potential:

Attitude Makes a Difference in How You Approach Problems

Do you see problems as problems or as opportunities and / solutions waiting to happen? You see, depending upon how you view problems determines how you approach them. People of the opportunity mindset ask solution-focused questions whereas those of the problem mindset ask victim-focused questions. Solutions don’t happen when the focus is overwhelming on why something happened. That’s too much focus on the past. Solutions occur with thoughtful and future oriented “what” and “how” questions – what happened, what could we do to prevent it from happening again, and how do move forward?

Attitude Makes a Difference in How You Treat People

The overwhelming majority of successful people earn their success by investing in the success of others. They are contributors and investors. They are selfless and encouragers. On the other hand, those who will not reach their potential are those who constantly seek to improve themselves at the expense of others. They are vampires constantly draining the life out of others.

Attitude Makes a Difference in How You Deal with Disappointment

Life has its ups and downs. People with the wrong attitude let the pain of disappointment linger, remaining unresolved. Every chance they get to tell their story of dismay and unfairness, they share it in search of empathy. People with the right attitude don’t experience any less disappointment than others in their lives. They simply recover quicker and turn their negative experience into a long-term positive outcome. Their disappointments have a much shorter lifespan, and the stories they share about their disappointments become tales of inspiration as opposed to tales of despair and desperation.

Attitude Makes a Difference in How You Deal with Change

Change is never easy. You and I can always spot the person with the wrong attitude towards change. They blame and deflect responsibility for their lack of change and use creative code language to rational “lies” the status quo. You’ll hear them say things like, “I see things differently than others” or “I’m picky”. Successful people experience the same amount of change as everyone else yet they know a person cannot grow if they don’t change. So they welcome change, and with that welcoming attitude, they take risks, accept failure as a part of the process of success, and have what John Maxwell calls a “sometimes you win, sometimes you learn” enduring mindset.

Attitude Makes a Difference in How You Deal with Uncertainty

On May 25, 1961 President John F. Kennedy announced his dramatic and ambitious goal to put a man on the moon before the end of the decade. Put this into perspective – only the Panama Canal and the Manhattan project were of comparable scope. His attitude was one of confidence in the face of enormous uncertainty. Successful people dive head first into uncertainty and others follow because the sheer level of belief, confidence, and competence are an alluring combination. In short, people with “I believe I can” attitude are the very people who create the inventions that make our lives easier.

While attitude isn’t everything, it is often a strong predictor of success in anything. After reading how your attitude makes a difference in key areas of life, wouldn’t you agree?

The Floor is Yours

What others truths about the importance of attitude and its impact on success have you experienced? Please share them in the comments below.

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