I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight. I have responsibilities to fulfill today. I am important. My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have. Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free. Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste. Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive. Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born. Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses. Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships. Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do. I can complain because I have to go to school or eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge. Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or I can feel honored because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind, body and soul. Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping. What today will be like is up to me. I get to choose what kind of day I will have!

If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don't!
If you want to win, but think you can't
It is almost certain you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you've lost;
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a person's will;
It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are.
You've got to think high to rise.
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win the prize.

Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger woman or man,
But sooner or later the one who wins
Is the one who believes that they can!

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company...a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes."

• It is your attitude at the beginning of a task more than anything else that will determine your success or failure.

• It is your attitude towards life that will determine life's attitude towards you. Despite many people's belief to the contrary, life pays no favorites.

• You control your attitude. If you are negative it is because you have decided to be negative and not because of other people or circumstances.

• Act as if you have a good attitude. Remember actions trigger feelings just as feelings trigger actions.

• Before a person can achieve the kind of results he wants, he must first become that person. He must then think, walk, talk, act and conduct himself in all of his affairs, as would the person he wishes to become.

• Treat everybody as the most important person in the world.

• Attitudes are based on assumptions. In order to change attitudes one must first change one's assumptions.

• Develop the attitude that there are more reasons why you should succeed than reasons why you should fail.

• When you are faced with a problem, adopt the attitude that you can and will solve it.

• We become what we think about. Control your thoughts and you will control your life.

• Radiate the attitude of confidence, of well being, of a person who knows where he is going. You will then find good things happening to you right away.

• In order to develop a good attitude, take charge first thing in the morning. Do you say, "Good morning, Lord" or "Good Lord, morning?"

Read these twelve points every day for the next thirty days and see how your life changes.