Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude…Zig Ziglar
The difference between Aptitude and Ability is that aptitude is the potential, which has as yet not been tapped and trained to a skill level, whereas ability as the word describes is, it is present here and now in the individual.
Attitude is a positive or negative or indifferent feeling towards a person, object, event or idea. Aptitude is a competency (ability) to do certain kind of work.
Attitude is about how we do things or how we approach things and the state of mind- positive-negative or bored, while aptitude indicates the things, we are capable of doing.
The idea of this article to show how important attitude is for humans, and for your work life, whether a manager or a worker.
In my 8A’s of management, I talk about Awareness, Attitude, Agility, Anticipation, Adaptability, Ambidextrousness, Ability and Aptitude, and of course, Action.
You can see attitude is very important. It is a mindset that allows you to do or not do things, to want to do or not want to do. If you approach work or a task with a positive attitude, you will be a winner. “Having a positive attitude means being optimistic about situations, interactions, and yourself. People with positive attitudes remain hopeful and see the best even in difficult situations. In contrast, those with negative attitudes may be more pessimistic and disagreeable, and typically expect the worst outcome in tough situations.” (Taken from https://blog.hubspot.com/service/positive-attitude). If you wish to create value, a positive attitude helps. It helps in being optimistic, reducing stress, dealing with disappointments, becoming more understanding and empathetic and more grateful. Positive attitudes help you change your perspective, become more compassionate, not take things personally, and being happy with others success. Courage, optimism, gratitude, acceptance, willingness to change direction and thinking, acceptance and being self-forgiving, especially for failures. Allow others to love you. Accept no one is perfect including yourself, and accept failure, and tackle it, be resilient. People with great attitude tend to be more accepting, more cheerful, willing to do with little etc. You have more energy, and you come across as better people than negative people. You have a can-do approach versus a cannot do thinking, and more self-confidence.
You can see these are all traits that you need to create value for yourself and others.
Obviously, you need aptitude and ability to be able to do things.
Attitude gives you faith. The enemy of faith is doubt (even though it is a necessity for seeking knowledge and removing ignorant beliefs and reduces errors). So, for success embrace faith tempered with doubt is part of attitude.
Thus, when you look for people look for those with ability and a positive attitude. People’s sense of purpose and passion is important, but cannot make up for lack of ability and a poor attitude. Look for attitude and purpose and passion to create value, and you too will be a winner.
The Man Who Thinks He Can
BY WALTER D. WINTLE
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’s almost a cinch you won’t.
If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost;
For out of the world we find
Success begins with a person’s will;
It’s all in a state of mind.
Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger and faster human,
But sooner or later the people who win
Are the ones who think they can.
