You Can’t Force People to Care

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.

1. “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.
2. “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.
3. “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.
4. “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.
5. “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.
6. “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.
7. “I’ve always done it this way.” Excuses proclaim an unwillingness to learn. Unless you learn something new every day, you’re becoming obsolete.
8. “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.
9. “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.
10. “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.
11. “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.
12. “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.
13. “I hate it here.” Be positive. If work isn’t fun, you’re not playing on the right team.
14. “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.
15. “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.