FACTORS THAT DETERMINE OUR ATTITUDE

Are we born with attitudes or do we develop them as we mature? What are the factors that form our attitudes?

If you have a negative outlook on life because of your environment, can you change your attitude? Most of our attitude is shaped during our formative years.

There are primarily three factors that determine our attitude. They are:

1. environment

2. experience

3. education

These are called the triple Es of attitude. Let's evaluate each of the factors individually.

1. Environment

Environment consists of the following:

Home: positive or negative influences

School: peer pressure

Work: supportive or over critical supervisor

Media: television, newspapers, magazines, radio, movies

Cultural background

Religious background

Traditions and beliefs

Social environment

Political environment

All of these environments create a culture. Every place be it a home, organization or a country has a culture.

Have you noticed that sometimes you go to a store and you find the salesperson polite, the supervisor, manager and owner polite as well? Yet you go to another shop and you find everyone rude and discourteous.

You go to a home and you find the kids and parents well-behaved, courteous and considerate. You go to another home where everyone is fighting like cats and dogs.

In countries where the government and political environment is honest, generally you will find that the people are honest, law abiding and helpful. And the reverse is true too. In a corrupt environment, an honest person has a tough time. Whereas in an honest environment, the corrupt one has a tough time.

In a positive environment, a marginal performer's output goes up. In a negative environment, a good performer's output goes down.

Culture in any place always goes top down, never bottom up. We need to step back and look at what kind of environment we have created for ourselves and those around us. It is tough to expect positive behavior in a negative environment. Where lawlessness becomes the law, honest citizens become cheats, crooks and thieves.

Isn't it time to evaluate the environment that we are in or we have created for others?

2. Experiences

Our behavior changes according to our experiences with people and events in our life. If we have a positive experience with a person, our attitude toward him becomes positive and vice versa.

3. Education

I refer to both formal and informal education, not just academic qualifications. Knowledge strategically applied translates into wisdom, ensuring success. I talk of education in the broader sense. It makes the role of the ; educator vital. A teacher affects eternity. The ripple effect is immeasurable.

We are drowning in information but starving for knowledge and wisdom. Education ought to teach us not only how to make a living but also how to liv