What You Value : Keeping a Positive Attitude
Positive Attitude
Author Unknown
If you think you are beaten you are;
If you think you dare not, you don't;
If you want to win but think you can't;
It's almost a cinch you won't.
If you think you'll lose you're lost;
For out of the world we find
Success begins with a person's will;
It's all in a state of mind.
Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger and faster one,
But sooner or later the one who wins
Is the one who says I can.
As a counselor, I often hear such statements as “I am not good at taking tests,” Maybe I am not cut out for college,” etc. When I hear these statements, I remember a story I heard early in my college career. A group of students who tested in the low IQ range were told that they had a much higher IQ than originally thought. Immediately, their grades improved, and all of them graduated from high school in a regular classroom. Some of them even went on to college.
Your attitude toward college and toward classes is a much greater determiner of how well you do in college than is your ability. Think about your own experiences. The time you really wanted to do something, perhaps cook a dinner for a good friend, take a dance class and so on. You really cared and put all you effort into it. On the other hand when there was a project you did not want to it was harder to do. As a teenager it was my responsibility to make sure the dishes were washed. I disliked washing dishes, and as a result, washing the dishes took much longer than they needed to, and many dishes got broken due to my disinterest and carelessness.
In college students take classes that are not part of their major and often are not classes the student is really interested in. Here are some tips for forming an interest and a positive attitude toward your classes.
- Sell yourself on the class. Look at the book and/or the syllabus and find two or three issues that you find interesting. Focus on these, and other benefits will come.
- Look for long term benefits and beware of short-sightedness. Too often we look at what we want right now without looking at the future. Even though it is difficult to see at the present, what you are learning from your core courses now will prepare you to think through important issues and apply them to your daily and professional life in the future.
- Avoid making negative comments about your classes or instructors. Keep your ideas and comments positive. This will help you to foster a positive attitude. Once you begin making negative comments, you will start down a negative to self destructiveness.
You can achieve and be successful. It is all in the attitude. Be your own best friend, believe in yourself and keep looking up.
If you find yourself stuck in a negative attitude, sometimes being able to talk out your feelings will help. Call the New Mexico Highlands University Counselor at 454-3478 or contact your academic advisor at Student Support Services or Academic Support. We are here to help you.
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