Post #1

Positivity Takes Practice

By Matt Clark


You may ask yourself these questions all the time:

What does it take to become positive?
Why do I always seem to be so negative?
How do I turn a negative situation into a positive one?

These questions all relate to one thing: they can be easily attainable. It just takes
practice. Just like any sport you play, any work you do, it all takes practice. By instilling
positive thoughts, you both learn and achieve on great levels. It wont just come in one
day. Any task can be made possible through passion and dedication. I believe these steps
will help you towards your goals and ultimately your dream in life.

Here are my five steps towards becoming a winner:

1. It all starts with YOU

You cant become positive until you believe in yourself. Never underestimate
your abilities and what you are capable of doing. Being a true winner simply comes down
to one thing: your value. Dont ever lose your value. Nothing can take away our value as
human beings. Based on the book Mindset, written by Carol Dweck, she emphasizes two
mindsets. Mindsets are beliefs about yourself and your abilities. She discusses having a
fixed mindset and a growth mindset. A fixed mindset can be seen as someone who
believes that they are born with certain traits. They only possess a certain amount of skill
and nothing can really change them. They often worry about their traits and feel they
always have something to prove. Rather a growth mindset is someone who views their
qualities that can be established through both dedication and effort. They admire their
skills and strive to focus on their strengths and improve their weaknesses. They are
always trying to progress and learn in every situation.
The growth mindset is a huge step towards positivity. For example, a person
who attends a job interview with a fixed mindset will see their opportunity as the only
option towards success. They believe that their weaknesses towards themselves will
hinder their chances of the job. They continue to worry that this interview is their only
solution and that they must get the job. Rather with a growth mindset the situation is all
a learning experience. If the job is meant to be, it will happen. You are trying to gather
and learn as much information as you can from the interviewer. If you do not get the job,
you will continue to work hard and strive towards your goal and know that great things
will happen from the interviewing experience.
Its important to remember to always be comfortable in your own skin! God made
you the way you are in a unique way just like every human being. People can say things,
but there is no one that is going to stop you from achieving your dreams.

2. Surround Yourself with Positive Influences

Growing up, my Mom always used the same advice when I would attend the first
day of classes. Choose the right friends and they will help keep you along the right path
in life. She was always right. Positive influences play a huge part in becoming the
positive person you want to become. Who wants negative people pushing you down? Jon
Gordon refers to negative people as Energy Vampires. They suck all the energy out of
you and always look to bring you down. If someone in your life is doing that, simply just
move on with that person. You dont need that. You are working towards one thing, your
dream. Always look for strong and encouraging people in your life that will cheer you up
during the good and bad times. You always need a friend. Everyone does. No matter what
the situation is.

3. Look Up To Your Mentors

I have always looked up to LSU basketball star Pete Pistol Maravich. He used
to work on his basketball skills on a daily basis. He never let go of a basketball and he
always believed in his abilities. I used to sit in my driveway and work on my ball-
handling drills and think of The Pistol. I really admire his work ethic, and it made me
work harder on my game. Mentors in your life dont have to be a celebrity or sports star,
they could be someone from your neighborhood. Make sure to always remember your
peers names. The greatest compliment you can show a person is by remembering their
name. Practice talking to people you normally would not approach. It could be your
neighbor walking their dog or the bagger at the grocery store. You never know if a simple
conversation could become a learning experience. A smile could just change a persons
day.




4. Love Negativity

As I discussed in #2, you want to eliminate negativity. But negativity will always
be around you, and you must first embrace it. Jon Gordon teaches that You should love
those that have hurt you, because it teaches forgiveness. Forgiveness is a strong word
and you must establish it. You should always forgive others no matter the circumstance.
Everyone makes mistakes, and creating a positive atmosphere towards the problem leads
to the best solution. You should never criticize people. Benjamin Franklin once said,
Criticizing and censuring almost everyone you have to do with, will diminish friends,
increase enemies, and thereby hurt your affairs. Sometimes its best to keep your head
down and keep moving. No one should affect what you are capable of doing. The only
person that can bring you down is yourself. Dont ever let people bring you down. Simply
flush out the negativity. A person that criticizes is likely jealous of what you are capable
of. Negative actions will always arise but its important to turn the situation into a
positive outcome. Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain- and most fools do. But
it takes character and self-control to be understanding. (Benjamin Franklin)

5. Be Thankful

You need to be thankful every day for everything that you have. One time I was
playing golf with my brother and I was getting really frustrated with my golf swing. He
kept looking at me until he eventually said, What are you doing? Its just a game, who
cares. Ever since he said that, I have never become frustrated over golf again. Golf is so
simple, just like life. When I am ever going to look back at that golf round? I dont think
I will be worried whether I hit a ball straight or not on the day of my marriage. We make
so many situations stressful without realizing how lucky we really are. We are so
fortunate for so many things in life that God has given us. You should always show
people appreciation when they need it the most. Write hand-written notes to people who
you appreciate. With the tech-savvy world we live in, there is nothing more satisfying
than receiving a hand-written note. I have a quote that I look at every day, it reads:
People want to be appreciated, not impressed.(John C. Maxwell) Always remember to
believe in everyone. Make others feel like a million dollars, and it will make you feel
even better. Lifes most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for
others? (Martin Luther King Jr)


Follow Matt on Twitter for more Positive Thoughts: @HammerClark23