YOUR ATTITUDE DETERMINES YOUR
ALTITUDE
In his book You Can Do It Paul
Hanna states that just like a pilot of a
747 we have all the controls at our
fingertips that allow us to take off and
fly at any altitude we choose. He
asserts, however, that many of us cruise
along at the same altitude for years,
often very unhappy with our bumpy ride,
but with the conviction that we don’t
have the power to change it.
I believe that Paul Hanna is right –
it’s our attitude that determines
whether we will soar like a 747, cruise
along at the same altitude year in, year
out or, worse still, limp along the
tarmac taking off every so often, only
to land again with such a nasty bump
that sooner or later we’ll be convinced
that take-off isn’t even an option.
My attitude not only determines my
altitude, it also determines the success
I achieve in my life. Recognising
this principle makes it vital to
understand how I came by my attitude in
the first place and, more importantly,
how I can change it.
IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW YOU SEE
YOURSELF
Simplistically, our attitude is the
sum-total of the beliefs we have
developed about ourselves and our
world throughout our life’s journey.
The most significant
development of our beliefs occurs
throughout our childhood years. This
may mean, for instance, that if
you were raised in a fear-filled
home it is likely that when you
first tried your wings you did so
with great fear and trepidation,
expecting to crash at any minute. If
you were told throughout your
growing years that you are worthless
and would never amount to anything,
chances are that you never even
found the courage to take off in the
first place. Adversely, having spent
your childhood in a supportive
environment that applauded your
early successes, you most likely
took off with the total conviction
that your plane would safely lift
off the ground, would soar like an
eagle in no time at all and that you
would land safely at your chosen
destination…which, no doubt, you
did!
It all depends on how you see
yourself
– the image you have of who you are,
how competent, how capable and how
worthy you are of success. So, what
if you were NOT raised in an
environment that encouraged a
positive self image? Does this mean
that you will never be able to
effectively fly your 747?
Not at all! Whilst it obviously
helps to have had acknowledgment of
our childhood successes, thankfully
our future does not depend on it as
we all have the capacity to
change our early programming.
So, how can we change our
programming?
CHANGING THE PROGRAM
The only way you can change the
program that has thus far determined
the view you have of yourself and of
the world is by changing your
beliefs. The only way you can change
your beliefs is by accepting that
they may not be accurate; that
you’ve simply accepted what you’ve
been told by your parents, your
teachers or other individuals who
were influential in your life as the
truth; that – in fact - you have
been viewing yourself and the world
through someone else’s glasses.
The following steps with help you
change your program:
Step 1 – Challenge your beliefs
Take a good, hard look at the things
you believe and especially at the
beliefs that have kept you tied to
the tarmac. Take off your parents’
(teachers’ or other people’s)
glasses that are tinted by their own
experiences, expectations and issues
and put on glasses that are not yet
tinted. Then determine whether it is
really true that you are unreliable,
can’t do anything right or are
responsible for everybody else’s
wellbeing or whether this is
something you’ve simply accepted as
‘a given’ because you’ve been told
it so often? Be sure to view all
your beliefs through your new
glasses and decide for yourself
which ones to keep and which ones to
discard.
Step 2 – Explore, read, discuss
and grow
The more dysfunctional the beliefs
you have held in the past, the
greater your challenge to discover
and embrace healthier and more
empowering ones. In order to make
the desired changes it is essential
that you broaden your world. You can
begin the broadening process by
reading about the areas in which
your beliefs had been restrictive
and unsupportive; by opening your
mind and discussing your beliefs,
thoughts and ideas with trusted
friends and mentors and by giving
yourself permission to see yourself
and your world through glasses that
have not yet been tinted.
To learn more about this,
click here
Step 3 – Replace your old
beliefs with new and empowering ones
As you discover a new and exciting
world of knowledge and become
convinced and convicted that some of
the beliefs you may have held for a
long time are either inaccurate, are
not your own, have not served you
well in the past, have tied you to
the tarmac or kept you cruising at
an uncomfortable and unsatisfactory
altitude, be sure to replace them
one by one with new, helpful,
empowering and supportive one’s.
Step 4 – Allow your new beliefs
to help you soar
Now that you’ve replaced your old
beliefs, allow your new ones to help
you take off and fly. Be prepared
that your first few attempts may be
frightening, unsteady and not
entirely satisfying. Expect your
first take-off or rise to higher
planes to be pretty scary. Moving
outside ones comfort zone always is!
Step 5 – Choose your friends
Having discarded your old and
dysfunctional beliefs you may also
find that relationships and
friendships with people who’ve kept
you ‘stuck’ no longer fit for you.
Be sure to now surround yourself
with supportive people, friends and
relatives who want to see you fly,
who cheer you on as you roll along
the tarmac and who applaud every
take-off and every rise, no matter
how wonky it may be.
Step 6 – Stick with the process
Remember that all new things are
difficult. Overriding old
programming takes time and so does
trusting your new beliefs. The more
you practice, however, the better
you will get at it and in time, you
too will take off as elegantly as a
747 and fly as majestically as an
eagle.
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WORDS OF WISDOM
The greatest discovery of any
generation is that human beings can
alter their lives by altering the
attitudes of their minds.
(Albert Schweitzer)
It is our attitude at the
beginning of a difficult undertaking
which more than anything else, will
determine its outcome.
(William James)
What we believe is based on our
perceptions. What we perceive
depends on what we look for. What we
look for depends on what we think.
What we think depends on what we
perceive. What we perceive
determines what we take to be true.
What we take to be true is our
reality.
(Zukav)
This the last of human
freedoms--to choose one's attitude
in any given set of circumstances,
to choose ones own way.
(Victor Frankl)
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THANK YOU!!!
Many thanks to all those of you who
have sent your kind thoughts, loving
words and prayers in response to my
last newsletter. I very much
appreciate your thoughtfulness!
Sonja
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CONTACT DETAILS:
Sonja Ridden
331 Mona Vale Road
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