This is the 10th anniversary of the Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude. In this year’s edition — ironically the 10th printing of the book — I have added content, new ideas and new lessons.

 

This is the 10th anniversary of the Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude. In this year’s edition — ironically the 10th printing of the book — I have added content, new ideas and new lessons.

Here’s one of the additions to get you thinking:

To make it easier for you to understand where your attitude actually is at this very moment, I’ve created a list for you to rate yourself. It breaks down your attitude into attributes. The key to this self-evaluation is your self-truth, and your willingness, on a scale of 1-10 (1 being the worst, 10 being the best), to rate your present situation in each of the attitude attributes listed below.

These ratings — better stated, these self-evaluations — will give you a “ground zero” beginning to understand the NOW position of your attitude, and where to work on getting to YES! It’s where you are right now, and specific places that you can begin to improve.

MIND THE GAP: As you rate yourself, you will develop gaps – or opportunities, as I prefer to call them. If you rate yourself a 7 out of 10, your gap for improvement is 30 percent. And the more honest with yourself you are in your self-evaluations, the more gaps will appear.

Gaps are good. They provide SPECIFIC direction. They will tell you EXACTLY what needs improving.

Some of your self-evaluations may hurt a little bit, but the goal in this is to bring you to greater attitude awareness. Anywhere you score less than 6 is an area that needs real improvement. The good news is, as you improve each attribute, you narrow your gap, and your attitude becomes closer to YES!

Here are the attributes. Go slow. Think hard. Be honest.

• Attitude of receptiveness. You are totally open to new ideas all the time, and eager to listen and self-evaluate.

• Attitude of listening. You are positively listening with the intent to understand and question BEFORE you respond.

• Attitude of friendliness. Your mindset is permanently adjusted to “friendly” and you greet everyone with a warm smile.

• Attitude of willingness. You serve from your heart because you love to be of service. Serving makes you feel good

.• Attitude of gratitude. Grateful for all gifts and opportunities that life has given you. How grateful are you? Really?

• Attitude of awareness. Looking at all things around you, and seeing the bright side. Listening to all things around you, and seeing the bright side.

• Attitude of enthusiasm. Full of visible happiness so strong that it’s transferrable to others.

• Attitude of cooperation. You’re a true team player that’s happy to help and eager to support and serve.

• Attitude of positive anticipation. Believe things and people will go your way and have a great and positive outcome. Belief in YES!

• Attitude of encouragement. Helping and encouraging others to win actually helps you to win.

• Attitude of desire. Your desire to succeed. Your desire to be of service. Your desire to be your best as a salesperson AND a person.

• Attitude of achievement. Your drive to get what you’re working hard for, and be both happy and grateful when you do.

• Attitude of harmony. Your ability to get along and be at peace with others, and be at peace with yourself.

• Attitude of excellence. Striving to be your best at all times and be happy at the end of a hard day, a good day or a tough day (there’s no such thing as a bad day).

• Attitude of praise. Not receiving praise, giving praise. Genuine praise makes others feel good about themselves and gain self-confidence to continue.

• Attitude of pride. Your personal pride owing to your state of mind, and your accomplishments.

• Attitude of wonderment. Looking at the world and smiling in awe at its majesty. Content with yourself, your life and your lot.

• Attitude of kindness. Sharing, giving, helping and volunteering so that you feel great about yourself.

• Attitude of acceptance. Taking the lemons, and figuring how to make lemonade.

• Attitude of performance. Positive things happen because you make them happen.

• Attitude of "do the right thing." Striving to do well by doing right — by yourself and by others.

• Attitude of forgiveness. A willingness to forgive is at the core of your inner peace and ultimately your positive inner feelings and thoughts. Forgiving will set you free.

Whew! There’s a dose of “opportunity thought.” You don’t need to add up your score. You’ve just painted your own inner picture. You know what it is, and no one else (except your family or spouse) really cares.

YES! CHALLENGE: You are the director and the producer of you. And you are up for an Academy Award nomination in the category of BEST ATTITUDE.

I hope you win!

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of 12 best-selling books, including The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, and The Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude.

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