The One Magic Word That Changes Everything

If you could wave a magic wand and make yourself unforgettable and irresistibly attractive, how awesome would that be. Today, I'm revealing one word that holds just as much power, and no, it's not a secret spell from Hogwarts, but it might as well be. Hey there, fellow introvert on stage. This show is a safe space for the soft souls to learn, connect and master communication. I'm Olivia Lee and you're listening to Introvert on Stage, and that magic word is, please, just kidding. The actual magic word is attitude.

You might be asking yourself what does attitude have to do with communication? Well, to your surprise, it has everything to do with communication and how you show up, stand, walk, look, sound everything. William James, philosopher and psychologist at Harvard, once said the greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude of mind. So why is attitude so transformative, especially in communication? Well, ever notice when someone with a positive attitude and a big smile instantly light up a room? Maybe you can think of one person you know, or maybe you're that person. People are naturally drawn to that energy of positivity and love.

Let's say you're lost and faced with making a decision between these two roads, to take One road that is brightly lit up with sunlight, filled with birds chirping, and the other road is dark, filled with shadows, silent and seems murky and moist. If you're a sane person, you would have chosen the first road, as many others will to. Our attitude toward life will determine life's attitude towards us. The attitude that helps you to see things as opportunities, not problems, will be the determining factor of your energy and how you come across to other people. And, not to mention, that's how first impressions are made to. Harvard study revealed that it typically takes eight more positive encounters to change someone's negative opinion of you. So might as well make a positive first impression instead of trying to make it up later. Not to mention, an open and friendly attitude makes you approachable. People feel safe to share, connect and engage with you. On the flip side, a closer negative attitude can make people have second thoughts about approaching you, no matter how knowledgeable or skilled you might be. Let's say you're at a conference, two speakers presented, while both were experts in their field. Person B stood with closed body language, crouched inward, barely making eye contact, speaking quietly, and seemed disengaged with the audience, while person A smiled, had open body language, engaged and laughed with the audience and even posed questions. Who do you think the attendees approached during the break time, eager to connect and learn more from? And if you also think of your beloved TV personalities or YouTubers, it's usually the genuine and kind attitude that makes millions of people feel like they have a safe space and a friend in them.

Here's a quick commercial break, and I'm the sponsor of my own podcast. If you found value in today's Introvert on Stage episode, please share it with someone who might also benefit from it, or consider sharing a kind review, and, as always, I'd love to hear your thoughts and stories, so feel free to reach out to me on social media at Introvert on Stage as well. Now back to the show. Have you ever started laughing just because you saw someone else laughing? That happens to me all the time, and that's because emotions are contagious and your attitude can set the emotional tone of the conversation, meaning it could uplift someone, motivate them and inspire them, but it can also do the opposite. That's because attitude has the power of emotional influence. To give an example of making a mistake on stage or during a presentation, instead of reminding the audience with something like oops, I'm so sorry, I messed up, or any other lines that emphasize that you made a mistake, laugh it off or make a joke. It's obvious that I didn't have coffee this morning and have the attitude that there might be hiccups, but the rest of the presentation will be great. It's all about how you carry and finish, not to mention people don't even really notice those little mistakes unless you point them out.

Life isn't always smooth sailing. As we continue to learn to improve our communication skills, challenges, misunderstandings, mistakes and conflicts may arise, but it's your attitude that determines your response. Do that sound scary? Let's change your attitude toward it, shall we? We should feel great knowing that we're in control of shaping our own lives. It's ultimately our choice that can turn anything into an opportunity, but it can also be our choice to view it as a failure. So choose wisely, because a constructive attitude can equip us with the resilience to view challenges as growing opportunities, learn from them and move forward.

All the communication skills in the world can be learned, but attitude is your choice. And the beautiful thing is, it's entirely in your hands to choose your attitude in your personal relationships, at work or while at networking. Every single person you meet in life is the most important person to himself and herself. So start treating everyone as the most important person, with respect and a learning attitude that keeps you open-minded, because there are always things to be learned from everyone.

So for the next seven days until you hear from me again, I want you to think, act and talk as the version of who you want to be, that can be the most successful person on earth, the most popular or the most magnetic and unforgettable, charismatic person who people admire and respect. You have to be that person, and I want you to write to me how that change in attitude made you show up differently in life. Feel free to email me at Olivia at introvertonstagecom. I read every email because I only get like seven, and you know how much I love quotes. So let's wrap up today's episode with one of my favorite quotes by Henry Ford. Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right. Thanks for listening and see you next week.