I Didn’t Catch a Cold. I Caught a Bad Attitude …

Have you ever had one of those mornings where absolutely everything goes right? I mean everything. I’m not talking about the kind of morning where you simply survive getting out the door. I’m talking about the kind that makes you wonder if somebody upstairs accidentally switched your life with someone else’s. This happened to me years ago. I still remember it because it was just that unusual.

The Following Is A True Story

I woke up before my alarm. Not because I forgot to set it. Not because the dog decided 4:30 in the morning was an acceptable breakfast time. I simply woke up. Refreshed, happy and ready for the day. That alone should have made me suspicious. Then I wandered into the kitchen, and there it was. Coffee already made. If you’re a coffee drinker, you know this is not a beverage. It’s emotional support in a mug.

Then I got dressed. Now, for those of you who know me, you also know I’m colorblind. So anytime I put together an outfit that actually matches, I consider that a personal victory worthy of its own parade. Apparently, I had done exactly that. Things just kept getting better. I helped my wife with a few things around the house and I actually had time to eat breakfast. I walked out the door on time. Not “almost on time.” Actually, on time.

I climbed into my car, started the engine, and noticed something else. A full tank of gas! At this point I was beginning to wonder if I should buy a lottery ticket. Then my favorite song came on the radio. I pulled out of the neighborhood and started driving to work. Green light. Green light. Another green light. If you’ve ever driven anywhere during rush hour, you know that string of green lights feels like you’ve unlocked some secret achievement in life.

Seriously? Who was in charge of this day?

I arrived at work about fifteen minutes early and I grabbed another cup of coffee. I talked with a few coworkers about the game from the night before because my team had actually won. Even that conversation was fun. Then I sat down at my desk. There were plenty of emails. But not one disaster or emergency or angry messages. There were no surprises waiting to ruin my day. I actually remember sitting there thinking, “This has been a really good day so far.”

About thirty minutes later, someone walked into my office. She was late, very late. And before she even sat down, I could tell she had experienced the exact opposite morning. She explained she overslept. The kids made getting ready feel like negotiating with tiny professional hostage negotiators. Daycare took longer than expected. She discovered a flat tire. She filled it with air, hoping it would survive long enough to get to work. Because she was already running late, she drove a little faster than she should have and a police officer noticed and she received a speeding ticket. By the time she reached my office, her hair was out of place, her makeup was rushed, and honestly, she just looked exhausted.

Then the conversation began. She talked about how terrible the morning had been. How work wasn’t fair. How we weren’t paid enough. How the insurance wasn’t very good. How nothing ever seemed to go right. The more she talked, the more I started remembering my own difficult mornings. I remembered bills. I remembered stressful days. I remembered getting pulled over years earlier.

Before long, I found myself agreeing with her. “Yeah, you’re right. It really is tough sometimes.” The strange part is 30 minutes earlier, I had been convinced life couldn’t get much better. Now I was sitting there in a lousy mood. Nothing around me had changed. The coffee was still good. My favorite song had still played. I had still made every green light. My team had still won. My emails were still peaceful.

The only thing that changed was what I allowed into my thinking. Somewhere along the way, I caught her attitude. It spread faster than a cold at an elementary school.

Fortunately, later that afternoon I caught myself. I actually stopped and asked, “Wait a minute. What happened to my great day?” That’s when it hit me. I hadn’t lost my good day. I had simply borrowed someone else’s bad one.

That realization has stayed with me ever since. Not because people shouldn’t share their struggles. Sometimes we all need someone who will listen. But we also have to be careful that compassion doesn’t quietly become contamination. There is a difference.

So, what does this have to do with running an online business? Well, I’m glad you asked!

If there is one place where attitudes spread quickly, it’s online. Spend ten minutes scrolling through social media, and you’ll find someone explaining why online marketing doesn’t work anymore, AI is taking over everything, search engines have ruined business forever, or the economy makes success impossible.

Read enough of it, and before you know it, you start questioning opportunities you were excited about just a few hours earlier. The funny thing is that most of those people don’t know your business. They don’t know your goals and they don’t know your work ethic. They’re simply sharing their own experiences, frustrations, and disappointments. If we’re not careful, we begin carrying those disappointments as though they belong to us.

I’ve learned that successful entrepreneurs guard their mindset the same way they guard their passwords. They don’t ignore problems. They simply refuse to let someone else’s negativity become their operating system. That’s one of the reasons I value surrounding myself with people who are building something instead of constantly explaining why nothing works. Positive attitudes are contagious, too. Fortunately, so is encouragement.

Five Ways To Avoid Catching Someone Else’s Bad Attitude

1. Notice when your mood suddenly changes. If you were having a great day thirty minutes ago, ask yourself what changed. Sometimes it wasn’t the situation. It was simply the conversation.
2. Be compassionate without carrying someone else’s emotional backpack. You can care deeply about people without accepting every frustration they hand you.
3. Spend more time around builders than complainers. The people you spend the most time with quietly influence how you think. Choose wisely.
4. Protect what goes into your mind. Whether it’s social media, the news, or conversations, remember that your mindset has an intake valve. You don’t have to leave it wide open.
5. End every day remembering what actually went right. Most days contain far more blessings than we give them credit for. Sometimes we just need to stop long enough to notice them.

Here’s the interesting part and something to seriously consider. Attitudes don’t just affect us. They affect everyone around us. Your family notices. Your coworkers notice. Your customers notice. Your audience notices. When people interact with you online, they don’t just remember what you taught them. They remember how you made them feel. If every post is negative, people eventually stop listening. If every conversation is encouraging, people begin looking forward to hearing from you. That’s a responsibility worth taking seriously.

None of us will be positive every minute of every day. Life happens. Bad mornings happen. Flat tires happen. Speeding tickets happen. But we still get to choose whether we’re going to pass that attitude along like it’s the world’s least desirable relay race. Personally, I’d rather be known as someone who leaves people smiling than someone who leaves them reaching for emotional cough medicine.

I’d love to hear from you. Have you ever realized that someone else’s attitude completely changed your day? Or maybe you’ve been the person whose attitude accidentally influenced someone else. Leave me a comment below. I read every one of them, and I always enjoy hearing your stories.

One of the reasons I enjoy being part of the Internet Profits Academy so much is because the community works hard to encourage one another instead of tearing each other down. Building an online business can be challenging enough without carrying around someone else’s negativity. Having coaches, mentors, and fellow entrepreneurs who genuinely want to see you succeed makes a tremendous difference. The strategies and technology are valuable, but the people are what make the experience special. The best part is that there is now a FREE option available, so you can explore the community, experience the training, and decide for yourself whether it’s a good fit.

Sometimes all it takes is spending time around the right people to remind you what’s possible.

Until next time, keep building, keep learning, and if someone tries to hand you a bad attitude, politely decline the delivery.

My wife listened to this story, smiled, and said, “So let me get this straight. You caught someone else’s bad attitude, but somehow you’ve still managed to keep all of your dad jokes? That’s unfortunate.”

“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” — Zig Ziglar

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.” — Helen Keller

And of course, a few VERY BAD Dad jokes:

Bad attitudes are like glitter. One person brings it into the room, and somehow everybody goes home with some.

I tried returning someone else’s bad attitude, but I couldn’t find the receipt.

Until next time, STAY FRESH, Friends!