NYC to DC Co-Pilot: Zig Ziglar

I just did the DC to NYC drive for the holidays and finally tried books on tape (CD). I went to my local library and looked around for something that was non-fiction and not too long. Since I've been into personal development books, I picked up a copy of Zig Ziglar's "How To Be a Winner".

I had seen quotes from Zig Ziglar before and the title definitely caught my eye, but something about renting these tapes made me feel a bit silly (...aren't I already a winner?? ...and who are the other weirdos listening to this??). I put aside the small naysayers in my head and tossed it in the car for the return trip to DC when I'd be driving solo.

His stories kept me entertained and did a good job reminding me how important a positive attitude is to being successful and feeling good about where you're going. Zig's quote:

"Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude."

As I learn more about success in business and in life, I find that this is increasingly true. What's surprising is that the idea of having the right attitude is hardly mentioned in the many years of our "aptitude-based" schooling. Don't you wish you had learned more "life stuff" in school or growing up? Where/when did you learn some of your more important lessons about life and success? Please comment!


Other reminders from Zig:

Motivation (positive attitude) isn't permanent - like eating and bathing, we have to make sure we do it everyday (we can all practice having a more positive attitude in our daily lives).

Positive thinking won't help you do everything (we can't all be pro baseball players, no matter how awesome our attitude is) but it will help you do things better than negative thinking will. (Why not think positively if it can only make you more successful?)

To develop a winning attitude, first you have to decide that you want it, then make a commitment to it, and find training/guidance to fully develop it.

A lot of people think motivational tapes are hokey. They are. But if they remind you to be a better person and keep a good attitude, it can only be a positive influence. I believe it's better to fill your mind with things that may inspire or challenge you instead of listening to the same Alicia Keys song over and over again on the radio.

You don't have to tell all your friends, you can just do it for yourself. Give it a shot next time you've got a solo trip planned and need an interesting co-pilot.