Letter from the Editor

Life and Times of JWN

Smiles. Attitude. Results. I'm going to steal some thoughts from the book I am currently reading; Jeffrey Gitomer's Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude. Jeffrey's books have had a tremendous impact on how I think about the world and have been a key influence on some of the best practices I use to help me achieve one of my personal philosophies; "Make a consistent positive influence." I'm sure Jeffrey won't mind if I plug his materials (Do you Jeffrey?) and I'm sure you'll be reading Jeffrey's VIP Profile in a future issue.  Let's start this reflection with a quote that really hits home to me because it has been a thought of mine for many years; "I believe that a smile is the attribute of a positive attitude, both for yourself and the perception of others." - Jeffrey Gitomer Everyday I test the power of a smile. The result is that often I can be found mixing and mingling with people I have barely met. How do these interactions start? KEY FACT: I open up the lines of communication with a smile. Check out my article "Small Talk for a BIG Effect" for more on this skill. It's funny. When I walk with housemates or friends, my frequent casual interactions often solicit the question, "Do you know that person?" It makes me laugh because I almost always reply with the same answer. "No. Not really." What I'm always thinking though is that if I see them again I bet they would remember me and I could probably have a great conversation with them. My favorite part about this story is this: NOTABLE: A conversation sparked from a scenario like this now happens to me at least once a week. It's awesome and it's the result of a simple smile. So, why is the smile so powerful? People want to be around positive people. Smiles, as well as being warm and welcoming, symbolize a positive outlook. Answer these two questions: 1) Who do you spend time with? 2) Who do you enjoy spending time with? Invariably, these questions spark different answers. You probably work or are involved with organizations that have people you may not like. In contrast, the people you enjoy spending time with are probably positive people with great outlooks on life. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that's definitely the case.  ACTION PLAN: Make your second answer your first answer. If you surround yourself with positive (successful) people, you will find success and fulfillment. Develop and show off your positive outlook with your smile. It will make you the person people want to be around. Try it! I have found the results to be quite powerful. Smile! It looks good on you, ~JWN