This document provides guidance on how to change one's attitude from negative to positive. It begins by defining attitude and having the reader list their own positive and negative attributes. It explains that attitude determines how well tasks are completed. Readers are encouraged to identify negative attitudes in themselves and others by thinking of angry, defensive, or critical behaviors. The document provides exercises to help readers understand what affects their attitude and how to focus on positives using questions. It lists five truths about attitudes and has readers think of successful people they know. Rules for happy living and a happy work environment are presented, focusing on principles like forgiveness, gratitude, and optimism. The overall message is that one can improve their life and work by changing their internal attitude.

1. CHANGING YOUR ATTITUDE
HOW TO STOP BEING AVERAGE
Prepared by: Ingrid Jonker
November 2015

2. Contents
2
What is attitude
Task 1 – Listing your own positive and negative
attitudes
Why should I change my attitude
Negatives and Positives – How to identify a negative
attitude
Task 2 – What are the things that affect your
attitude
How to use Questions to keep focusing on the
positives
Five truths about Attitude
Task 3 – List the successful people you know
Rules for happy living

3. What is attitude?
at·ti·tude
NOUN
1.A settled way of thinking or feeling
about someone or something, typically
one that is reflected in a person's
behavior:
2."she took a tough attitude toward
other people's indulgences"
“ATTITUDES ARE CONTAGIOUS. IS YOURS WORTH CATCHING?” -
Unknown

4. Task 1:
List three positive attributes about your self
1. ________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________
List 1 negative attribute about your self
1. ________________________________________________________________
“You can make yourself happy or make yourself miserable, the amount of
work is the same” – Don Juan

5. Why should I change my attitude
If we really choose our attitude, why would someone choose to be negative???
“Your attitude has a profound impact on your life” – Dr John C Maxwell Author of the
book ‘Attitude 101’
I CAN’T
IN TO
I CAN
Research that has been done, shows that money you make in any endeavour is
determined only by 12.5% of your knowledge and 87.5% by your ability to deal with
people – in other words your attitude.
WHY ME? TRY ME !
The distance between I can
and I cant is the distance
between your ears!!!

6. Negatives & Positives- How to identify a negative attitude
Think of a recent example of someone you encountered with a negative attitude.
What “told” you the person was negative?
Angry
Negative body language
Defensive
Confronting others
Words they use
Can’t admit mistakes
Won’t forgive
Jealousy
Critical of everything
Anti everything
Mistrustful
Uncooperative Problem orientated Hostile to happiness
If any of these characteristics sounds “familiar” then today is the day to change your
attitude

7. Task 2:
“Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude
determines how well you do it” – Lou Holtz
What are some of the things that affect your attitude?
What can I control? What can’t I control?
____________________________________ ________________________________
____________________________________ ________________________________
____________________________________ ________________________________
____________________________________ ________________________________

8. Using Questions to focus on the Positives
• What else can this mean?
• I wonder what his/her story is?
• How can I benefit from this?
• How can I make this more interesting
• What can I do differently to feel better?
• How would I like to be treated in this situation?
WHENEVER YOU ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE YOUR ATTITUDE IS TESTED, ASK
YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU SEE THE POSITIVE SIDE

9. Five truths about attitudes
• Attitudes have the power to lift up or tear down a team
• An attitude compounds when exposed to others
• Bad attitudes compound faster than good ones
• Attitudes are subjective
• Rotten attitudes, left alone, ruin everything

10. Task 3:
Looking at successful people
Ask yourself the question. How do you define success??
_______________________________________________
Who is someone you know personally who you would consider to be
successful? List four words that would describe that person.
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

11. Rules for happy living – how to change
1 Be loving to everyone you meet
2 Forgive everyone who attempted to harm you
3 You become what you think.
4 Look for ways to strengthen those that have less than
you.
5 Always seek knowledge and truth .
1 Always be honest.
2 Never waste what you are given.
3 Be grateful for what you have.
4 Develop a spirit of optimism
5 Have faith in something greater than yourself
Take 1 principle a
month to live by –
then 2 then 3
until you live by
all the principles

12. Rules for happy work environment – how to change
I LOVE MY WORK
Change happens from the inside out:
• You
• Home
• Work
Forget what /who you don’t like at work
Think of why you are still here and haven’t resigned, even if it is just an income
to reach your goals.
Apply the rules and ideas that you have received to make work a better place
“I DON’T CARE MUCH FOR THAT MAN. I MUST GET TO KNOW HIM
BETTER” Abraham Lincoln

13. Thank you for your time