“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”
Zig Ziglar

Zig must be a writer! His snappy little comment captures a lot of wisdom and packs a powerful punch, doesn’t it? Attitude is definitely a word with plenty of attitude! Here’s how Webster’s defines it:

1) a position assumed for a specific purpose;
2) a mental position with regard to a fact or state;
3) a feeling or emotion toward a fact or state;
4) a state of readiness to respond in a characteristic way to
stimulus (as an object, concept, or situation);
5) a negative or hostile state of mind;
6) a cocky or arrogant manner.

Wow, that one word covers a lot of territory! And here’s something to ponder: In a recent study of 3,000 top achievers, 85% of them attributed their success to their attitude — and only 15% to the skills they developed. This fascinating fact comes to us from Ed Agresta, a motivational speaker who has a great free phone hot line called Power Thoughts (609.660.8156) — I listen to it every day.

In a recent call, he asked a few questions that really got me thinking:

How much would you pay for your attitude?
If your attitude was a horse race, what place would it come in?
If someone stole your attitude, would it be a blessing?

Attitude is a big issue for us as writers. If we come to the page feeling frustrated by a rough patch or yesterday’s results, then it’s going to be tough to get our motor going. On the other hand, if we arrive on the page hopeful and fascinated by all the possibilities before us, then who knows what might happen? Don’t get frustrated, get fascinated! That’s what my mentor Rob Gilbert says. Try it out!