March forth -- be positive

They walk into the room and you feel better instantly. Their smiles, their charisma, their positive outlook on life… it’s inspiring, it’s infectious, and it makes you feel great. If you’re fortunate, you know such a person. Are you that person to others?

He was born on March 4th and his blood type is B+, so you might say Mike Hulvey was destined to be one of those uplifting people. I recently had the opportunity to spend some time with Mike and his wife, Julie, and was reminded of the passion we share for personal improvement and making a positive difference in our industry – not to mention the lives of those around us.

Mike shared how the simplicity and the ease of a simple smile can make a huge difference in your interaction with people at all levels. Mike suggests you’ll get far better service, have better results with clients and prospects, and get more joy out of life -- all with a simple smile. Calling someone by their name, smiling, and showing genuine concern for them as a person can turn even the most difficult situation into a positive one.

Well-known author Dr. Charles Swindoll has a wealth of books and quotes about the power of positivity. Two of my favorite quotes are:

“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.”

“Attitude is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than what people do or say. It’s more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill.”

Wow… attitude is really important!

It’s truly magical how your attitude can impact how you view situations, deal with adversity, and interact with people. The best part is, you are in total control of it. No special skill is required for a smile. No special training is required to share an encouraging word. No schooling is needed to look for the good in every person and situation.

You have the power to not only change your life, but also the lives of those around you. Are you the positive difference-maker in your circle of friends?

You don’t have to be born on March 4th or have blood-type B+ to make a Mike Hulvey-type difference. You have the power to march forth and be positive. The choice is entirely yours.

Jeff Schmidt is the SVP of Professional Development for the RAB. You can reach him at jschmidt@rab.com or connect with him on Twitter and LinkedIn.