I like to think that I have a generally positive attitude. I’m not going to say I’m always positive, but would certainly argue that I’m not a pessimist. I think attitude is one of the most important aspects of your life but gets overshadowed by so many things that are more obvious. It goes beyond the cliché of “when life hands you lemons, make lemonade”. One major aspect of my job is problem solving, whether it be technical or not. The obvious examples that come to mind are technical problems. I could take the attitude of “the vendor created the problem, they can figure it out and fix it and if they have questions ask me.” I choose to take the attitude of “yes, it’s their problem, but how can *I* help them resolve it.” Who knows, maybe I’ll learn something in the process, but I can do something.
One of the interesting aspects of my job is that I’m not really an expert at much but what I do know covers a fairly broad range of areas. Since I’m not as focused as say, a database administrator, I’m sometimes not equipped with the knowledge to deal with problems or tasks in particular areas. But you know what? It’s about attitude. There’s a place for the detailed knowledge that something like training can provide, but if you have the right attitude you can usually find the resources to learn what you need to know.
A friend of mine made a post about being “lucky” today. I completely see his point that it’s more often the result of work, but as I commented in response, even that is more about attitude (namely the recognition of and willingness to do the work). If you see something you don’t like, do what you can to change the situation. Maybe it’s a little something and won’t get you very far. Maybe it’s tedious and will take a long time, but you’ll get there eventually. In some cases, it may even be easier than you thought. But, it is about attitude. If you have the means to change the situation for the better, go for it. Be positive. Be powerful.
