I often see this Zig Ziglar quote on Twitter, on Facebook and on other people’s blogposts:
“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”
By the way, I didn’t even know who Zig was until today – he is a champion salesperson and motivational teacher and trainer in the United States. He must have a successful attitude because he’s now over 85 years old and still working and publishing his ideas. Quotes like this sometimes get me cranky – they seem so general, and often simplistic.
But every now and again, a quote ‘speaks’ to me and keeps me focused on my business goals.
Right now, my small business, the happychild website is achieving most of the things I wished – the brand is growing, thousands of parents across Australia read the articles on the website and I am proud of the information we share and the incredibly talented writers who contribute to its success. Having this small business has also given me travel and educational experiences and given me the opportunity to become a parenting commentator on national television – all sounds great doesn’t it? It is. But there are various challenges – similar to many small businesses, I have to build income streams, I have to wear many hats, sometimes I work long hours and there are times when I feel less optimistic. This week has been especially challenging because of the many hours I’ve had to invest to protect my happychild trade mark. And at these times, my aptitude for business and my expertise really has less to do with how successful I am. It’s my attitude. I have to remind myself that these are common experiences and challenges in business – I have to tell myself that although I am climbing a mountain that day, it will be all downhill tomorrow.
I’m guessing that plenty of entrepreneurs in their first few years of business have times when it’s only their attitude that gets them through a day or a week.
So it’s something worth working on. To achieve the altitude you want, work on your attitude. Find a mentor, read a book, get some exercise, stay healthy, keep your eye on your goal and go for it. That’s what I am doing right now.
