There are a lot of negative influences in life. Negative people who are down all the time. The negative local news. No matter what it is, the negative always seems to outweigh the positive. Some examples:
- Research has shown that people are much more inclined to avoid a loss than to try and make a gain. This is why people get so much more upset when the stock market declines than if it rises, even when it is the same dollar amount.
- Other research shows that negative events are stronger than positive events
- A negative attitude is stronger than a positive attitude
W. Clement Stone said in Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude that “There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.”
Chuck Swindoll is well known for saying “Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we respond.”
The reality is only you can decide how you react to the events of your life. If you choose to act negatively, it will influence everything else that you do. Reacting positively will also influence all that you do. The choice is up to you.
Do everything you can in your life, whether business or personal, to have a positive attitude and outlook. Negative thoughts will only bring you down, as well as those around you. If others around you are negative on a consistent basis, consider removing yourself from them when negative conversations come up. You probably will not miss them very much.