There’s great truth in the saying, “You either have it or you don’t.” It’s certainly true when it comes to the skills required to succeed. Some people choose to fail. (Yes, you read that right.) Some folks lack the skills to get ahead, but others suffer from a poor attitude. Skills are acquired; attitude is a choice. The outcome, nevertheless, is still the same — failure. You can’t force anyone to care.
“I can’t” and “I don’t want to” trigger the same results.
Are You Holding Yourself Back?
Do you have the right attitude? Here are 15 phrases that expose people with a poor attitude.
- “What’s in it for me?” Are you selfless or do you focus primarily on your needs and wants? Greed can be the unwillingness to give or the willingness to take.
- “You don’t expect me to do that!” People will test you in small ways before trusting you with additional responsibility. Before you dine from a silver platter, you must first eat from a paper plate.
- “They don’t pay me enough to do this.” Watch out. Excuses can be habit forming. Pull out the weeds or make peace with the dandelions.
- “I don’t feel like working today.” Endurance is as much mental as it is physical. If you’re not willing to make the commitment, don’t complain about the outcome. I hope you care.
- “Tuesday’s going to be tough. I’m calling in sick.” Some people will do anything to get out of work. Self-pity is like a disease — the condition worsens with neglect.
- “I’m not checking my work. They’ll catch mistakes during the review process.” Make yourself proud. If it’s worth your doing, give it all you’re worth. It’s time to care.
- “I’ve always done it this way.” Excuses proclaim an unwillingness to learn. Unless you learn something new every day, you’re becoming obsolete.
- “I hate doing that. Give it to someone else.” No one likes to do menial work, but it comes with the territory. When you swallow your pride, don’t choke on your ego.
- “If I look busy, maybe I can get out of the work.” Being busy doesn’t mean that you’re productive. Just because you’re at work doesn’t mean you’re working.
- “I’ll do anything to get ahead.” Character is the fingerprint of your soul. Everything has a price, but not everything should be for sale.
- “Nobody’s here, so we can goof off.” If you’re not responsible for your actions, who is? Listen to your conscience. That’s why you have one.
- “Nobody knows what they’re doing around here.” Those who love to find fault in others rarely find fault in themselves. People who can, do. People who can’t, criticize.
- “I hate it here.” Be positive. If work isn’t fun, you’re not playing on the right team.
- “I do what I have to — nothing more, nothing less.” Be the best you can be — and then be a little better. Always give 110%. It’s the extra 10% that everyone remembers.
- “Three hours ’til I can go home.” Watching the clock doesn’t make time go faster. If you want to share in the rewards, share in the work.
A Person with No Commitment Has No Promise
There are two kinds of mistakes. First, despite our best efforts, we make a poor choice or misjudgment — nobody’s perfect. For the most part, people are forgiving if you make an honest mistake or have a bad day on occasion. But when improper actions are intentional, trust will diminish and your reputation will suffer as a result. The same holds true for your attitude. It’s one thing to lack the skills required to succeed, yet quite another to let a poor attitude cause your demise. The first type of mistake, a poor choice or misjudgment, is unintentional, while a poor attitude is a deliberate choice.
You can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Be positive. Reach for the stars and show that you care. Others can stop you for a moment. Only you can stop yourself for good.
Do You Care?
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Additional Reading:
The Power of a Positive Attitude
Mediocre Behavior Is a Choice
Do You Have a Victim Mentality?
Failing Doesn’t Make You a Failure
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Classic! “Before you dine from a silver platter, you must first eat from a paper plate.” I’d like to share this with a leadership team I’m working with this weekend….
Hi Carol
It’ll especially work if it’s a dinner meeting 🙂
Thanks for taking the time to write.
Best,
Frank
The comments and attitudes you share are all so frighteningly familiar and make the hair on my neck stand up. Each day we all have a choice – to do a great job and be proud, or to cut corners and secretly live ashamed. That shame is a slow-growing cancer that eats away at all corners of mental, emotional and physical health.
Spot on, Sarah! “Each day we all have a choice – to do a great job and be proud, or to cut corners and secretly live ashamed. That shame is a slow-growing cancer that eats away at all corners of mental, emotional and physical health.”
Thanks for taking the time to write.
Best,
Frank
Too few horses and too many wagons …. I’ve seen this behaviour in too many types of work; municipal, provincial (state), federal, university/college and private industry. In general, I’ve notice some of the workers (those lethargic drifting lazy workers with no real drive to care) hitch their ‘I don’t care wagons’ to the care ‘horses’. What happens? The horses (the people care and pull the weight of the organization’s success) get tired and bad attitude seeps into the soul of the horse. If you too many wagons, the horses get tired faster. In general, especially in government, they get rid of the old horses and bring in fresh horses rather than getting rid of the wagons who can’t pull their own weight without the dedicated ‘care’ horse.
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I hear you Michael.
Next time you look around an organization and experience a sea of mediocrity, where no one cares, ask yourself, “Is apathy their fault or the organization’s failing?” When people say, “I can’t” or “I won’t,” it produces the same results. People stop trying when there’s no benefit for being exceptional and no consequence for being mediocre.
Thanks for taking the time to write.
Best,
Frank
I struggle with 1 – 4 once too many times. Especially when I’m doing work I was not supposed to be doing and the people who actually were, are not and are better paid than I am and have better work conditions.
Guess I wasn’t made for greatness, that’s for sure.
Dipta
It doesn’t mean you weren’t made for greatness. It means that you’re human.
The fact that you say you struggle with 1-4 once tells me that you’re aware of your behavior and may be open to change. That’s awesome. As I say, “Your mindset matters more than you think.”
Thanks for taking the time to write.
Best,
Frank