3．Attitude is a mental state relative to what we believe and affects our entire lives．We express our attitude in our words and actions．
One of the most important steps you can take toward achieving your greatest potential in life is to learn to monitor your attitude and its impact on your work performance，relationships and everyone around you．
In truth，people generally don't have a high level of attitude awareness．They'll know if they are hungry or if their feet hurt，but they usually don't have a good handle on their attitude．That is a mistake because attitude decides everything．It governs the way you perceive （感知） the world and the way the world perceives you．
We all have a choice．We can choose an inner dialogue of self-encouragement and self-motivation．It's a power we all have．Each of us experiences hard times，hurt feelings，heartache，and physical and emotional pain．The key is to realize it's not what happens to you that matters； it's how you choose to respond．
Your mind is a computer that can be programmed．Your inner dialogue is the software that programs your attitude，which determines how you present yourself to the world around you．You have control over the programming．Whatever you put into it is reflected in what comes out．The sad reality of life is that we will continue to hear negative information，but we don't have to program it into our brains．
The loudest and most influential voice you hear is your own inner voice．It can work for or against you，depending on the messages you allow．It can be optimistic or pessimistic （悲观的）．It can wear you down or cheer you up．
Habitual bad attitudes are often the product of past experiences and events．Common causes include low self-esteem，stress，fear，resentment，anger and an inability to handle change．It takes serious work to examine the roots of a harmful attitude，but the rewards of ridding ourselves of this heavy baggage can last a lifetime．
Here are several strategies to improve your attitude：
Enthusiasm-Vital Tool for Staying Motivated
Enthusiasm is to attitude what breathing is to life．Enthusiasm makes it possible for you to apply your gifts more effectively．Enthusiasm means putting yourself in motion．It's an internal spirit that speaks through your actions．
Lighten Up Your Life with Humor
Humor is a powerful motivator．The more humor and laughter in your life，the less stress you'll have，which means more positive energy to help you put your attitude into action．There are also health benefits to lightening up．
Exercising Will Help Keep You Motivated
One of the best ways to move to a more positive and motivated mind is to exercise．A regular exercise routine can provide relatively quick positive feedback in the form of weight loss，muscle development and a sense of doing something positive for yourself．
Seek your personal and professional success by using the tools above．It is no secret that life seems to reward us most when we approach the world with a positive attitude．
Your Attitude Decides Everything
