I used to think you were born with particular attitudes.
Some people were enthusiastic, some were optimists, some were cynics. That’s just that way they were.
Carlos Moleda is a Navy SEAL who was shot and paralyzed in the line of duty. I don’t know Carlos personally, but I followed his journey as he prepared for and won his fifth Ironman World Championship Triathlon last week in Hawaii.
He did a full-length triathlon, using only his arms (swim, handcycle, push chair), in 11 hours 32 minutes.
His motto: “If I’m going to be the guy in the chair, I’m going to be the best one in the chair.”
Was Carlos born with that determined attitude?
When I was injured, my motto was something like, “If I’m going to be the guy in the chair, I’m going to be the most pathetic guy possible.”
I thought I was stuck with that attitude. I’d always be the pathetic loser in the wheelchair. Thankfully, God sent people into my path who showed me it didn’t need to be like that.
Attitude Is A Skill
It’s just like any other skill. If you practice, you get better. I can get better at enthusiasm and optimism, just like I can get better at cycling.
So it’s sort of a self-fulling prophecy. If I practice enthusiasm, I’ll be more enthusiastic and it’s more likely the people around me will become a bit enthusiastic as well. Same thing works for hopefulness and gratitude.
Attitude-as-a-skill confers some freedom and some responsibility. Freedom because I get to decide. I’m not hostage to feelings or accidents of birth.
Responsibility because, well, I decide.
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