Dustin Adkinson: Choose to Be Happy

In a recent conversation, business speaker Dustin Adkinson and I discussed the challenges of marketing in today's tough economy. One of the things that Dustin reminded me of was this very basic fact of life: we tend to lean toward what we dwell upon, no matter what that may be. Therefore it’s important to intentionally choose what we focus upon.

Here's what Dustin had to say:

Back in the day, there was a young lady known as "Pollyanna." These days you hear people say, "Don't be such a Pollyanna," because Pollyanna was an optimistic little girl whose dad taught her to take whatever came her way, and look for the positive in it.

I really, truly do believe that we tend to lean toward what we dwell upon. So if you can take and look at something in a positive fashion, no matter what it is, then that's what you're going to move toward. So for example, when you wake up in the morning, you have a new opportunity facing you each day.

If I'm in sales, how many people do I really need to make a profit? Let's say I need 100 people. If I'm making a profit with each of those people that I convince one certain way to be, then it doesn't matter what the rest of the world thinks. We can see things in the news, we can hear about stories; whatever it may be, we just need the few. Once we have that, it lets us multiply to the many.

A positive mental attitude is the best thing that you can have. The best thing you can do is to take an approach where you go beyond whatever exists in the world today. There have been studies over the last four years that have proven that happiness is contagious.

But the funny thing about our society is that we're taught that it's all about money. Well, I've had money; I've been there and done that, and that's not what brings happiness. In fact, according to Forbes magazine, 87% of the people on their Forbes 100 list are unhappy. That being the case, how can you say money brings happiness? It doesn't. What brings happiness is your choice, the decision that you want to become happy. Because you choose to be happy, everything else will follow.

You've got to be gracious. You've got to have gratitude, and understand and appreciate what life brings you each day. That way you can be happy, and everything else will fall into place. It's all about love.

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