People who have negative attitudes stand to lose a lot. They are usually careless and don’t care how their attitude affects others. They are easily discouraged, without goals, frequently absent, unable to solve problems or take risks, and unwilling to seek new challenges. A bad attitude can hold you back at work and make life—for you and others—miserable.

People with low self-esteem are their own worst enemies. They don’t give themselves a chance to succeed, and they don’t think they have the power to change. These people often put themselves down, fear failure, take the easy way out, and resist change.

The good news is that you can improve your self-esteem. It helps to spend time with others who feel good about themselves because a positive attitude is contagious! To improve your attitude, self-esteem, and job satisfaction, follow these tips:

• Think positively.
• Understand the demands of projects and perform efficiently.
• Set ambitious goals for yourself.
• Get to know people.
• Trust yourself and your perceptions.
• Acknowledge the negatives, but don’t dwell on them.

Once your attitude is right, you will lead by example. When the leader has a positive attitude, it rubs off on the whole team. It’s not enough to know the difference between a good and bad attitude though; you’ve got to put your knowledge into everyday action! Leading the way involves being dependable, courteous, honest, and conscientious. You must cooperate with others, show initiative, do tough assignments first, upgrade your skills, accept challenges, and try to solve problems.

Now that you know what a difference a positive attitude can make, I encourage you to use enthusiasm and a positive attitude to make a world of difference in your life—both on the job and off!