Henry Ford said it well, what we think shapes our reality and our attititude determines our fate.

We all carry attitudes about our employer, our products or services, our market, our prospects, and of course, ourselves. If you jump out of bed every day, dive into your work with a zing, and find your heart fixed on nothing but the good news of your year-to-date financial statement and strong early projections for 2009 -- stop reading. You don’t need to see this.

If, on the other hand, you occasionally start your day with some “how long can I keep doing this” self-talk in the shower, dread making prospecting calls, or spiral down into a dark mood when things don’t go “right,” these few words might help you make the fall season a bit brighter.

Sales expert David Sandler once said that; “You can perform only in a way that is consistent with the way you see yourself conceptually.” 

And at any given moment, your state of mind can be one of possibility, or one of limitation. Do you see yourself as a leader, or a follower? Do you believe you are at the top of your game, or at the bottom of the heap? Do you perceive and believe that there are circumstances to make something happen or do you mostly fixate on the obstacles that block your progress? 

Amazingly; it’s your choice, and the choice you make is potent. The outlook you adopt is generally the result of previous experience, or the perceptions you adopt from those around you. And recently you have to have a pretty strong self-concept to not adopt a pessimistic outlook.

The reality is that your previous experience, or the history of others, may not be relevant in the moment. If you want a brighter future, start cultivating a brighter outlook; look for opportunities and endure and work past the obstacles--and your future is already more abundant.

Joe Marr is a public speaker, sales and management consultant and trainer, and runs Sandler Training - Ann Arbor. Contact him at 734-821-4830 or visit his website.