The Attitude of a Winner

It has been said that your attitude determines your altitude. That sounds about right. The attitude of a man/woman can forecast his/her future and reveal much about the past.

(experiences, exposure to info, absorption of info, personal development etc)

What the videos below and read more to get a better understanding about how the right attitude applies to life as a trucker and trucking success.

The way that we think has been shaped starting from childhood development and up until the current moment of you reading this text.

Our current environment, past experiences and the information that we have been exposed to all causes us to look at life in a certain way.

By the time you leave this website, I hope that you will think about truckers (and life) in a different way. You will have gained insight and knowledge about drivers and the trucking industry that you probably didn't have.

Hopefully, also a new way of looking at life!

What Will Express Your Attitude

• The Way That You Take Care of The Truck
• How You Do Your Job
• How You Talk to People
• The Style of Driving You Do
• How You Manage Your Money
• How You Take Care of Your Health
• How You Nurture Your Relationships
• How You Look Out For Your Family
• You Outlook on Life
  

Treat the Truck Like It's Your Own

• Keep it clean inside and out
• Keep up the maintenance
• Carry small tool for the road 
• Don't abandon it if you quit
• Don't smoke in the truck
• Don't let pets tear up the truck
  

How would you want someone to treat your truck?  That's how you treat it.

Do Your Job Like You Own the Company.

• Be on time
• Make check calls to dispatcher/broker/driver manager/planner
• Plan your trip
• Run legal
• Obey the ordinances and rules
• Don't curse and talk with vulgarity to shippers/receivers etc.
• Drive defensively on the highway
• Be courteous to other drivers on the highway

Add Your Questions or Comments Below

I also hope that you will look at yourself in a different way. Whether you are deciding on if you are compatible for the trucking lifestyle or doing research on who truckers are, or getting tips for becoming a better driver, you will be forced to face the fact that reality is different than what you assumed. There is more to trucking and truck drivers than you originally thought.  And too many drivers do it like everyone else instead of doing it with pride and passion.

Ahhhhhh, now that unveils a universal principle that can and should be applied when dealing with other areas of our lives.

What we assume we know or what we think is true is not always the case. (Don't judge a book by it's cover...) By seeing this we are able to improve on our own personal thought process and do life just a little bit better. (Whether you decide to become a trucker or not)

Everything about life is judged by people based upon their personal experiences or the information that they have been introduced to up to that point of judgement.

Often we operate without thinking or usage of researched facts or current reality.  Instead, we use our past experiences, follow the crowd and make assumptions.  (what we think is normal/popular/proper response to the situation).  We don't actually do critical thinking, we are robotic like.(There is a concept you might want to research called herd mentality.  You take on the thoughts and actions of the majority.)

It's important to be mindful of this within yourself so that you filter and control your thoughts.  Think about the things you hear/learn and consider the attitude of the person they come from. Is he/her level headed or ignorant?  Is the person mad, biased or fair in opinion?

All of that will affect the quality of the information that you gather and should influence how much you value the information.  Or how closely you follow his/her advice.

Lol, of course that includes me.  If you think I have a reason to lie to you, then you shouldn't be here long.  If you can tell that I am trying to offer you accurate and insightful info not just to help you make a decision on trucking and make trucking a successful career but to also be able to live a happier live overall then you should read every page.

A Positive Mindset

Every challenge that occurs in our life has the potential to build character, teach lessons, and increase maturity if we let it. In order for these positive benefits to happen we have to view these challenges in a certain way. We must see the glass half full as opposed to half empty.

In other words we choose to look at these issues that occur with the intention of finding a way to benefit from it. It doesn't matter how painful or ugly it is. The question asked to self is....."What can I take away from this?"

Now, as I said earlier, we are predisposed to think a certain way but it is something that can be changed. So it you don't intentionally control/correct your reaction, your subconscious mind will dictate your thoughts/reaction.

In summary, the way that you think will determine how you interact with others, make decisions and deal with life's challenges.

So make a choice to eliminate the negativity from your life that you can. Especially the negative self talk and put downs. Also eliminate the limiting beliefs that you have learned...

"I can't.... I don't deserve..... I will never get chosen..... I can't do it...... It's too hard..... I wasn't made for this.... I am so stupid.... I am cursed....I just got bad luck....etc"

When you find yourself letting these words come out of your mouth stop yourself and replace it with the opposite.

I can learn to... I will find out how to.... I will do better next time because..... I can make this work by.... I can improve my chances by...

If needed, learn information about the challenges you encounter or that you predict you will encounter. Break down your challenges that you face and learn what you need to, in order to feel empowered about moving forward. See challenges as an interesting adventure not a catastrophe.

For life in general...know that you are not the only who faces challenges, it's part of the process. Keep your head up and keep pushing toward the goals that you have set for yourself. If goals need adjusting, do so and keep it moving. Remember, the way you look at all of this stuff is a choice!

Interacting With Others

People are flawed. We all are. Everyone has bad days. If you have a positive attitude you will keep in mind that other people are not perfect. Someone could say something stupid to you in a flash and mean nothing by it. They could mistreat you without thinking and not even realize it.

How will you react? Do you want to reach over and pop that person but instead you just curse him/her out? Or maybe you pop him, I don't know! Neither will serve you well in the long run.

Supposed your thoughts instead were...."This person must be having an awful day". Then you overlook (forgive)him/her and move on with your business. Or better yet acknowledge your awareness that they are frustrated and give them permission to continue or opportunity to save face.  Something like, "I can tell you are frustrated, and I am not wanting to argue, I am just asking a question to make sure I understand."

Supposed the way they treated you was on purpose? Supposed they meant to be disrespectful or were just hateful?

Well let's see...

If you stoop to the same level of ignorance as that person, it's likely to be a war going on. Who knows how it will end. ( In all relationships business or personal first response is often to try and inflict the same level of pain, disrespect, ignorance, etc...well how does that end?)

On the other hand, if you look pass their attitude problem, it may be all that person needs a moment to self reflect and realize how much of a jerk he/she is being. (In Relationships...If you communicate about the problems and seek counseling (if necessary) it's a better option than retaliation. (Think about what might have caused the problem in the first place?)

Next thing you know, you are treated like a King, Queen. Not only do you get what you wanted but extras.  I used to see this at fast food restaurants. Waiter is upset due to other table.  It reflects in attitude toward me.  Instead of me checking him, I say, "Hey buddy, don't let that get to you, you are doing a great job.  That was a small mistake that you will likely not repeat.  That guys is overreacting but its a good opportunity for you to work on dealing with that type of personality."  Free food just for being compassionate.

Supposed it's a traffic stop by the D.O.T. suddenly the stakes are a lot higher.  Like most drivers I have seen an officer come to the window with an attitude, probably expecting me to be like that last rude trucker who he approached.  I was not.  I was cooperative and friendly.  The guy, barely did an inspection that only took about 10 mins.  Some guys want to be argumentative and badass.  What good is that?

I talk more about the D.O.T. here. Your attitude could keep you at a dock waiting for hours to get loaded. I have seen drivers upset and curse out the people in the office at shippers because they were not being loaded yet. That doesn't get them out quicker, that makes it take longer.

Drivers are still there when I leave. Was the time wasted there ridiculous? Yes. But do we know why we were waiting? No. I am sure sometimes, it's just because they are unorganized or have too many trucks there. (more than they can handle or needed at one time)

But it's not always the people at that window's fault. Might be their bosses fault. In any case, cursing them out is not the way to handle it. Just ask questions to get the information you can and move on.

Sure it could mess up your log book, keep you from getting to the house early and all of that but what can you do? The world is not coming to an end. Ask for an estimated time for getting done and mention why you are trying to get an idea.

Sometimes we are the ones with the serious attitude problem from the beginning. Arrogant, demanding, rude, demeaning. This could cause you to be sat on the sidelines from the jump!

True story...

I was behind someone at a pilot in Indiana who was mad at the woman behind the counter because she wanted ID to cash his check and she had to charge him a small fee to cash it. He didn't want to show his ID and didn't want to pay a fee.

It escalated to him having to be pulled out of there by his buddy. Cursing the guy and lady at the counter out and threatening the dude.

Ridiculous.

How to Win at Life

This video was made as a result of a situation that I encountered this morning for the umteenth time.  A locked entranced door.  I know you've seen this too.  But it made me think about how easy it should be fore us to get ahead.

Here is why....

Think about how many people slack at their jobs.  They cut corners, avoid work and even abuse freedoms at work.  People waste time online and even hide.  You must know people like this.  If not just consider this, people don't even use the turn signal or wear their seat belt.   How much effort does that take?

Hardly none.  This says something about the attitude and mindset of people who you are competing again to get ahead.  So if you make sure you are becoming a better version of yourself and you treat other people right, you can get ahead.

Choices People Make

The attitude can affect everyday choices. The way you view the world and all things that you encounter is determined by the way that you think. Your attitude towards life will determine your behavior.

Ever hear someone coughing up their lungs from smoking make the statement, "I got to die from something?" That's a poor attitude toward life. More specifically, it's a silly thought process.

The best excuse available is, "I have to die from something". To justify a poor choice. It's their choice no doubt but the question still remains. "Why do you choose to smoke?"

Because if you truly answered the question, you may decide to do something better like quit.

Many people smoke now just because they are addicted. They started just because they tried it and never stopped or the people they were around did it.

They don't stop because they never thought about stopping or the reasons that they should stop but instead of thinking about it even when posed the question they get defensive and say the first thing that comes to mind.

"You got to die from something"

A reasonable person would realize that it makes sense to attempt to change this behavior. Not try to justify poor behavior that is killing you. Even if there is no desire to change, it must be pretty sad to not simply say, "yeah, It would make sense to stop but I am not there yet." "Or I don't have a good enough reason to stop." or "I never thought about it"

Anything but...."I got to die from something". Lol, just saying.

Some people don't try to quit because they assume that they won't be successful. Not because they tried but because others have and failed.

Many people have limiting self thoughts. They are not likely to rise to challenges. They don't do hard things. They seek the easy way out. They coast through life, no goals and no ambition. They assume they can't do much beyond what they already know what to do.

Aren't we strange creatures?

If it takes time, effort, thinking, it's too much trouble. However, the moment we are negatively affected, we look to someone to blame.

How often do people go to the Dr. He said don't eat this or do this. The patient goes home and continue as if he/she is sneaking or getting over on the Dr.

The recommendation by the Dr. was to help the patient, not the Dr. but the patient seems to feel he/she is getting away with something. That's flawed thinking.

With regard to trucking...you might have a tough decision.

Do you become a trucker despite the fact that your wife don't want you to?

Despite the fact that it will not suit you needs to be at home?

Do you become a driver just because it was a childhood dream when you were young and single even though now you are married with children?

Some people and couples can deal with this. Some can not. You will get the information needed to make this decision here. For some it will be tough but to ignore the truth of your specific situation and reality is asking for consequences you would rather not deal with.

Reacting To Challenges

A positive minded person understands that challenges are to be expected in life. He/she is mentally prepared for these issues so well that when faced by what would cause many others to experience stress and feelings of victim hood, or hopelessness they relax and see the big picture.

With this calmness they are able to work through the best choices available to overcome their challenges.

No time for self pity, no time for the blame game. No quitting unless that has been deemed a strategic move for a specific reason.

They know that there is opportunity interweaved in the middle of all hard times.

Look at the recession. Positive minded forward thinking people will make more money than ever during this recessions in the middle of all of the pain and misery.

Many of us could also find ways to make money but would say there is nobody making money. With the attitude of defeat we assume their is no money to be made and so we automatically close ourselves off to being able to see the opportunities that we encounter or could create.

I was at a meeting with home inspectors and realtors. The meeting was at full capacity and the topic was the green movement. How new energy efficiency certifications would affect real estate sales and the market. Homes with a rating in energy efficiency will sell first and higher prices than other homes in the future.

The general attitude of the people in that room was one of resistance to the upcoming changes. They asked questions that indicated they were more concerned with how to survive without changing despite the market forecast with the least amount of effort.

Few asked questions that indicated a desire to learn how they could use these changes to their advantage. And there is a system available already to use it to their advantage.

There is a designation for realtors who are trained to recognize and sell green property. There is a certification program for people to do assessments and make calculations about a home's efficiency rating. This would be perfect for a home inspector.

Few in that room seemed to realize that this was a way for them to differentiate themselves from their competition. With limited transactions already, they were more concerned with avoiding the changes than using the new reality as a tool to become more marketable.

Some inspectors even stated, "It's already slow enough, before I go and have to deal with all of this, I will just get out of the business" It's amazing.

This is an example of the ways we think. Or some would argue, don't think.

How to Develop a More Positive Mind

If our childhood and the environment from then to now all inform our thinking and thus our attitudes then it would seem that all we need to do is change our environment.

That's about right.

But, you are talking about years of programming. It's encoded in our brains. We can't just uninstall the program and upload a more useful one in two steps.

It's a process.

With this realization of the need to improve, we will make choice to install another program but it takes a while to overtake the old one.

So the more aware and intentional you are about your thoughts and the environment that you spend most of your time in will determine how quickly you are able to switch the encoded programming so your mind operates in the desired fashion.

You must understand this includes the music we listen too, the news stories and other televisions programs that we watch, the movies, the way we spend our time online, the people that we spend our time with, etc....

All of this makes up our environment and influences our thinking because it informs our subconscious minds about what is important to us. If will help define our norms and create our values. It will affect how we filter information and analyze data. Our perception of things in life and life itself derive from information that we absorb.

What we focus our minds on is what we will bring forth in our lives. If it is engulfed in negativity, expect drama. If it is positive, expect excitement.

How much and how fast? No rule. Every is different and has different things going on. We have different goals and ambitions.

However the more a person does the more dramatic the shift in thinking will be and sooner.

It would help if we just spent less amounts of time listening to music, watching television, playing farmer on Facebook, and spent time around folks who has no goals, ambition or dreams.

Replace that time with motivational CD's, DVDs, Classes, Correspondence Courses, Sermons or spiritual CDs or positive people who are in the process of making their dreams a reality.

This is how we create the foundation for a new way of thinking. We need the supporting information. Especially if we have never been exposed to an environment that taught us to look at life and do things differently than we currently do.

All we have to do is make a decision that it is important to expose ourselves to information that improves the mind and thought process and then take action.

Start now.

We often talk about how we want more respect from people in the industry and the general public. There is a bit of a problem. We have to make a decision to conduct ourselves in a certain way in order to make sure we are deserving of the level of respect that we desire.

Here is more of what I am talking about in

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