YES! A Book That’s POSITIVE-ly Golden
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a book so appropriately named in my life. I’m sure I’ve never seen one embrace its subject with so much passion and conviction. The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude: How to Find, Build and Keep a YES! Attitude for a Lifetime of SUCCESS (Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Books)
Did I like it? I loved it. I loved everything about it.
I had finished reading the stack of books on my desk - some were for reviewing on blogs, others were novels by favorite fiction authors (Dean Koontz, Agatha Christie). Since I always, always, always have to be in the middle of at least one book to feel content, I headed to my husband’s bookshelf, knowing he had gotten a few books lately. Even though his books are mostly about golfing, business, and sales (not the kind of sales I’m interested in), every now and then he’ll have one that matters to me. This gold little book caught my eye right off the bat, as did the tile on the side, “Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude.” It was love at first sight. Colorful? Check. Bold? Check. Stand out in the crowd? Check. Motivationally positive? Check. Check.
I plucked the book out from amongst books that were either in business suits or golf shoes and headed to the couch with my notebook and pen (taken from the husband’s desk…just call me Sticky Fingers). The little gold book and I got along famously and the pen got a real workout.
The book is full of adorable cartoon illustrations that’ll slap a smile on your face, and varying sizes and colors of text that make the entire reading process nothing short of delightful.
Jeffrey Gitomer makes it clear early in the book that we are responsible for our own attitudes. The kind of attitude we have is a choice we make, so if we want a YES! attitude, we have to make the choice to go out there and get it! He then spends the rest of the book telling the reader exactly how to do just that.
It’s your thoughts behind the words you speak that create your attitude. - Jeffrey Gitomer
There’s a fascinating “Attitude Self Test” that I wish everyone in the world could take. Without even looking at the results, the reader could have about 10, “A ha!” moments where they gain a little insight about themselves and their attitude. After the test, you can find out where, on the scale, your attitude rates - you’ll either be in the positive attitude group with the rest of us Jiminey Crickets, in the group that’ll have to work extra hard, or somewhere in between. Wherever you find yourself, you’ll be able to use the rest of the book to move higher and stay higher.
On page 47, the author pointed out something really interesting, “It takes twice as much energy to be negative than to be positive. That’s why, at the end of the argument, you may be tired.” He then went on to say, “Understand that negative energy and negative thoughts BLOCK positive thoughts and creative thoughts from occurring.”
Priceless! How priceless? Worth saying again priceless:
“Understand that negative energy and negative thoughts BLOCK positive thoughts and creative thoughts from occurring.”
Another especially effective part of the book (you know, in addition to the part between the first page and the last page) is a section where he lists the “Real World Attitude Busters.” From The flu (which I happened to be enjoying when I read the book) to losing something, the list hits home for everyone. He points out that Attitude Busters have two elements: Things and People. These elements will, as the book points out, either “…bust you or build you based on the way you react to them.”
Page 76 is one of the most powerful pages of the entire book, as it gives a list of “Positive things and YES! things that BUST attitude busters.” At first I was aghast that Starbucks and shopping weren’t listed, until I saw, “Something that you do with passion” and ”Anything inspirational” - yeah, that’s them. It’s a great list of things that can turn your attitude, mood, day and life around - which, if you ask me, makes it a list worth making copies of and placing randomly throughout your house. One on the refrigerator, one on your desk (definitely one on your desk!), etc.
The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude: How to Find, Build and Keep a YES! Attitude for a Lifetime of SUCCESS (Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Books)
- Put things into writing
- Drain your brain at the end of each day
- Use your environment to your benefit
- Be careful how you view the local news
- Be on guard how you let others affect your attitude
- Be aware of the senses that can affect your attitude
- Use your attitude to improve your business
- Use your attitude to improve your relationships and life
- Realize that a positive attitude is attractive
- Realize that a positive attitude is contagious
- Buy the book!
- Read the book!
- Re-read the book!
“The main reason people rain on my parade is because they have no parade of their own.” - Jeffrey Gitomer
The title of this site is Self Help Daily, right? The goal of this blogger is to help others help themselves. I literally devote each day looking for information, tips, advice, quotes, etc that I can add to the web site that will help others build the life that will bring them the most happiness. My husband says I’m out to save the world. My response? Damn right! One person, one animal, and one tree at a time. I’m a proud hugger of each. Having said all of that, at this moment the number one thing I wish I could do for every human being (Polar Bears and Oaks simply don’t read well enough) is to lock them in a room with this book, one of my husband’s cool pens and a notebook. When I unlocked the door a few hours later, each would emerge a changed person. For the better.
The door wouldn’t be the only thing unlocked. The book would brilliantly, and forever, unlock their….
- Potential
- Self Restraint
- Inner Power
- Chains of negativity
- YES! Attitude
Head over to buy Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude: How to Find, Build and Keep a YES! Attitude for a Lifetime of SUCCESS (Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Books)
Other books by Jeffrey Gitomer:
Little Red Book of Selling: 12.5 Principles of Sales Greatness
Little Black Book of Connections: 6.5 Assets for Networking Your Way to Rich Relationships
You may also be interested in:
Gitomer.com (If you’re into sales, I’m willing to bet his free e-zine is something to BANK on)
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