Page 103 - ConvinceThemFlip

speak the language of the brain
of explaining our experiences in preordained ways. What’s
more, sooner or later we think without thinking!
Everyone has an explanatory style. Some people
develop the habit of explaining their experiences to them-
selves and others in a positive way, while others do most
of their explaining from a negative point of view. There
are many shades of explanatory style, but primarily they
break down into positive and negative.
A positive explanatory style results in your being
perceived as enthusiastic, optimistic, and very good at
spotting opportunities. A negative style can get you tagged
as anything from a realist who’s good at spotting problems
to an outright pessimist. These styles affect your attitude,
and as you well know by now, attitude is infectious.
I’m sure our pilot, if he gave it any thought, felt he was
being practical and realistic with his announcement, but
his explanatory style influenced his choice of words and,
in turn, the outcome of his communication. The good
news is that you can choose your style of explaining, and
hence further shape your attitude. And when you accom-
plish that, you can shape how you make other people feel
and how they feel about you.
It all comes down to this: As your experiences become
words, your words become actions, your actions become
habits, your habits become character, and your character
becomes your destiny.
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