A Positive Attitude: The World’s Most Underrated Secret To Success

You’re a little spicy today, you know that? Yeah. Spicy.

Hey, it’s Marie Forleo and you are watching MarieTV, the place to be to create a business and life you love. Now, if you ever feel like you’re missing out on some big secret to success that everybody else knows but you, you are going to want to watch this one, let me tell you. Alright, so a little story here.

A few years back I was driving to a lunch meeting in LA and there was a lot of traffic, as usual, and not too much parking on the street so I pulled into a garage with a valet. Now, what happened next was so unexpected. I opened the door to hand over my keys and I got blasted by this guy with unconditional love.

I’ve gotta tell you, this guy’s energy was so off the charts. He was Latino, probably like late 60s, and he was this total powerhouse of joy. The way he greeted me was like he was picking up some lifelong friend at the airport and he gently just helped me out of my car, he asked me about my day, and, get this, he was genuinely interested in the answer. And then he flashed this smile at me that was brighter than the California sun. I’m not kidding, this man was one of the most enthusiastic souls that I have ever met in my life.

Now, one of the things that struck me was that this was the valet guy. And as somebody who’s worked in the service industry for years, I know that these kind of jobs, I mean, they can be challenging. You’re often dealing with a lot of cranky people, you’re probably not making that much money, and, honestly, it can feel thankless at times. But this guy? Oh my goodness. The energy that he brought to his work, it was like he was this happy king and he was welcoming you into his palace. And the reason I wanted to share this story is because it is such a potent reminder of one of the most underrated secrets to success there is. It is not just about what you do, it’s about how you do it.

You see, behavior alone is not enough. The energy, the soul, the spirit that you infuse into your actions, it matters. And, I mean, this applies to your work, it applies to your relationships, it applies to everything. You know, as Jim Carrey said, the effect you have on others is the most valuable currency there is. And I mean, you know this to be true, right? There’s such a huge difference between someone who just shows up and they kind of go through the motions and, maybe even worse, they’re like a walking complaint. I mean, that creates a completely different result than somebody who shows up and like they’re full of warmth and enthusiasm. Like, they actually want to be there. And there are three reasons that I feel why getting this is so, so important.

Number one, your attitude is contagious. You know, we human beings, we have mirror neurons in our brains that make our emotions catchable. Meaning your joy, your enthusiasm, all that stuff, it rubs off on people around you. And so does a totally crappy attitude, kind of like germs.

Oh my God. Somebody got joy all over me.

Sorry, Marie. That was me.

You know what? A little joy never hurt anybody.

So take responsibility for the energy you’re putting out there, all right?

Number two, this moment makes your future moment. So here’s what this means. How you do what you do impacts how people respond to you, and very often, the results that you get. So in the case of my very sweet valet, I was so grateful for his energy that I gave him a very big tip, like probably 3 times the standard amount. And let’s be honest, that’s how all of us can build momentum in this life, by wowing other people and doing that with your genuine heart and your genuine caring and your attention to detail.

And number three, you can make a difference in this world no matter what you do for a living. And really, really hear that. You know, I get so many questions from people saying, “Gosh, I feel like what I do just isn’t that important.” Or, “Marie, you know what? I want to find a way to make a bigger impact in the world. What should I do?” This is what you should do. Don’t just focus on what you’re doing. Give attention to how you’re doing it. Because you have countless opportunities every single day to change real people’s lives simply by choosing to. Start infusing everything you do with some genuine love and enthusiasm and your humanity and just watch the difference that it makes both for you and for everybody around you. And if you need a reminder, remember this.

Your energy is contagious, so think about what you want people to catch from you.

Now I would love to hear from you, and we’ve got a two parter today. So first up, what is a specific example of where how somebody did something really, really wowed you? And then second, what area of your life might completely shift if you focused more attention on how you did it rather than just going through the motions? Leave a comment below and let me know.

Now, as always, the best discussions happen after the episode over at MarieForleo.com, so head on over there and leave a comment now. And once you’re there, be sure to subscribe to our email list and become an MF insider. You will get instant access to an awesome audio training I created called How to Get Anything You Want and you’ll get some exclusive content and giveaways and some personal updates from me that I just don’t share anywhere else.

Stay on your game and keep going for your dreams because the world needs that special gift that only you have. Thank you so much for watching and I’ll catch you next time on MarieTV.

Know what? I know. I know. Yeah, I feel you.

Really? Seriously?

You just go with that because I might, you know me, I’m gonna start kicking.

The womens get kicking. Kick it.

You know what? Done.

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