The Optimist Way - Part 5

To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.

I worked for my Father as a manufacture’s representative for fifteen years in the floral and craft business. My father was always looking to position ourselves differently from the competition. One day he saw an ad in a magazine which he cut out and shared with me. For many years that ad hung over my Father’s desk. It was a picture of the then GM Chairman and CEO Lee Iacocca. The ad was simple, yet brilliant. It stated, “We have only one desire, to be the best. What else is there?” It say's it all.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

I have many successful friends and relatives. Weather they have successful businesses or are successful in life. I like being around successful people. It inspires me to work harder and smarter. I like to celebrate successes when I get the opportunity. When I hear of a friend getting a promotion I’ll send them a note of congratulations. When a friend has a baby or gets married, I’ll send flowers. Being enthusiastic when other’s have success says to the world that you are a cheerleader for them and you want to be a part of the success. There is a saying that goes, "A high tide raises all ships” .

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

I have always had a bit of a challenge with this wording, “To forget the mistakes of the past”. I believe if we fully forget we are doomed to repeat. However, I believe what this sentence really means is not to dwell on the past and get stuck by its weight. One has to know about the past in order to “press on to the greater achievements of the future.” I look towards the future as an opportunity to make right, the wrongs of the past. The future is where we all will live so we have to make it the best we can by doing now, the things that will make it a place we wish to live. I have made many mistakes in my life, however I have looked upon them as lessons on what not to do or how to do things a better way, the next time. I can not get mired by my miss steps, rather I have to figure how to go beyond them and make them work for me.

The Optimist Way - Part 4

Talk health, happiness and prosperity to everyone you meet. “Hey Brad how are you doing?” A friend says. My new answer is; "Unbelievable." I say this all the time now. I was given this nugget after listening to sales guru, Tom Hopkins at a speaker’s forum called, “Get Motivated.” Mr. Hopkins said whenever someone asks you how your doing make it sound as if it’s either Unbelievable, meaning great or Unbelievable, meaning terrible. Let them decide. When someone asks, how was your stay with your in-laws, you can do the same thing, “Unbelievable”. It’s a great word to use and it gets a conversation going. When I board a plane and a stewardess asks, “How are you today?", I say, “Unbelievable” and watch their reaction. In a world of “Fine” , you guessed it…"I'm Unbelievable". I also work my body as well as my mind. I work out almost daily at a local gym. Even when I am on the road I do cardio and weight training to keep the mind fresh and focused. This helps keep my body free of stress and I beleive helps keep disease at bay. I try to eat good, nourishing foods. When one talks about good health, happiness and prosperity they can feel their luck and their mind change. Dwelling on the positive, enables one to be more positive. I believe there are two types of people in the world optimistic or pessimistic. Pessimist can’t stand to be around me. One of my co-workers worked for a pay check. She could not wait for Friday and the coming weekend. One Friday morning I said to her, “I can’t wait.” She said, “I know its Friday.” I replied, “You misunderstand, yes it’s Friday, but there are only two more days until Monday.” She quit shortly after that. Being positive attracts other positive people. Negative folks don’t hang around me much. Make your friends feel that there is something inside them. Fun, helpful, supportive, a cheerleader, a challenger, a buddy, are words that describe what a friend is to me. The right friends are agents of my success. I surround myself with positive, like minded people. John Wooden the great former UCLA Basketball Coach said, “…effort to do the best of which you are capable. The quality of your effort to realize your potential counts first and foremost.” For John Wooden that is success. I want all my friends to be successful. I strive for this type of success as well, each and every day. When I was young my Father would say to me, “Bradley, I don’t care what profession you choose, I just want you to be the best at it that you can be.” This stuck with me ever since my Father said it. Positive reinforcement by a friend can have a similar impact on one's success. Friend’s help realize their friends potential and support them in ways that they can. Encourage your friends to be the best, and work off each others energy. Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

Life is about choices and I choose to be positive as much and as often as I can. Sometimes it’s work, other times it’s second nature. How you react to events that happen to you is often telling on how you view the world. Recently I visited my wonderful granddaughters in Kentucky and Tennessee. They are so amazing to be with. My little Maggie is a toddler. We were jumping on the trampoline and she bounced up and came down hard. She looked at me to see my reaction to her fall. With her lips trembling, I smiled and then laughed at her. Although shaken she laughed back and went on playing. I am sure if I rushed over to her and picked her up and held her, the tears would have flowed and it would be some time before we could make it all O.K. From my perspective the glass is half full, so drink up life. Make every minute count. I get frustrated when kids tell me they are bored. The only thing we all have in common is that we have time. Make the most of it. Look around at the beauty and grandeur of the world. Think positive, act positive be optimistic.