About the only time I might read People Magazine is when I am waiting in the doctors office and there is nothing else around about business and finance. However while waiting for the cable guy at my girlfriends new house, I noticed Michael J Fox on the cover of the most recent issue of People. It was 10 years ago that he was on the same cover because he had just announced that he had Parkinson’s disease.
The story inside is an update on how he is doing. It is absolutely inspiring. Despite a disease that makes everyday life a struggle, Michael shows an incredibly positive attitude. While the cocktail of several medicines allows him to function, he still has daily periods were he can’t move is arms. Yet his life is better, fuller, richer simply because of his attitude.
There is a wonderful quote in the article where he says “Hope is optimism with the facts to back it up . . . I’m in the Hope Business.” I think that is a great way to describe a positive attitude. Hope, optimism, positive attitude or whatever you want to call it, is not about pretending there are no problems. It is about recognizing both problems and strengths and making the best of them.
In my last post about Thanksgiving and a positive attitude, you can read about how being thankful helps you recognize your strengths. But it is just as important to recognize the roadblocks in life. Only by acknowledging them can you address them. That is where the positive attitude comes in, fixing the problems. Pretending the problems aren’t there is not a positive attitude and in fact will lead to very negative consequences. A positive attitude is recognizing the roadblocks and saying “I can make this better!”
We all have problems, The weakest of us are overwhelmed by them. Most of us muddle through. The best of us see them as an opportunity. That is the level Michael j Fox is operating at. If you want to be inspired pickup a copy of the Dec. 8, 2008 People magazine.
Happy investing,
Ned
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16 responses so far ↓
1 Blog for Beginners (4 comments.) // Dec 5, 2008 at 9:42 am
Indeed very insightful, Ned. I’ve learned this lesson the hard way when I was young. It’s a long story… let’s save it for another day.
It’s true, we can only deal with the problem if we first recognize it. Thanks for sharing such an inspirational story with us.
Yan
2 The MJFDB News Blog :: It’s all about People // Dec 6, 2008 at 8:57 pm
[…] Baltimore Real Estate Investing Blog (Hey, if anyone needs hope in our present economy, it’s real estate investors, right?) […]
3 Stefanie Blackburn (1 comments.) // Dec 7, 2008 at 4:58 am
Great Post !!!
Having a positive attitude and being positively focused is so important to creating success in your life.
Stefanie
4 Top News and Blog Posts for the week ending 12-5-08 | Real Estate Success Link // Dec 7, 2008 at 5:39 am
[…] The Power of Positive Thinking […]
5 Gerald Weber (1 comments.) // Dec 9, 2008 at 5:27 pm
What a wonderful inspiring update on Michael J Fox. It makes me thing when I hear some others people complaining about the little things. Some of us tend to take for granted every day the simple stuff in life like our health and our ability to move and take a look at this guy.. It’s also a reminder that 90% of success in anything in life is a positive mental attitude.
6 Ned // Dec 9, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Yan,
Thanks for stopping by again.
Gerald,
I thought the same thing about people complaining. Stop whining and do something to better your life. You must have been on my site at the same time I was commenting on your site.
7 Elijah (1 comments.) // Dec 12, 2008 at 10:49 am
Yan said it best for me.. problems can only be truly dealt with once they are recognized.
Problems, like mistakes, are to be seen as opportunities for growth!
8 Sire (53 comments.) // Dec 13, 2008 at 1:41 am
With every problem there is a solution, one just has to find it and this can be achieved with a positive attitude. Take the current economic crisis. Most things that you read about it is all about doom and gloom, when in reality, for those that have a bit of spare cash, it is probably the best time to invest in the share market. I suppose one would even find that now is the best time to pick up some pretty good real estate deals as well.
9 Ned // Dec 13, 2008 at 2:04 am
@Elijah, Good quote simple but gets the point across.
@ Sire, exactly now is a terrific time to invest.
10 Sire (53 comments.) // Dec 13, 2008 at 2:15 am
In regards to shares I have one in particular that is only worth about a third of the original value. There is no way I am going to sell it as it would incur to great a loss so I was wondering what I could do instead of just waiting for it to go up which could take months if not a year or two.
I hit upon a plan. I purchased a few shares at the lower price and when it went up a few dollars I sold those share as well as enough shares of the original stock which would wipe out the profit I just made. With that money I bought mores shares at a lower price and am now waiting for the cycle to repeat. I hope to bite into my original shares a bit at a time wearing it away until I have even more shares than the original amount but at the lower price. When the shares finally reach the old price I would have made a sizable profit rather than just having the original value.
11 Ned // Dec 13, 2008 at 2:48 am
@ Sire, Good thinking. You may also be able to take a loss on the shares you sell.
12 Sire (53 comments.) // Dec 13, 2008 at 3:00 am
The idea is that each time I sell just enough shares to cover the profit on the shares I have just sold thereby not incurring any taxable income. Naturally I will have to incur a tax liability sooner or later but I prefer later.
13 Blog Tips for Beginners (4 comments.) // Dec 23, 2008 at 10:47 am
Hey Ned
Looks like you’re having a long break since the last time you posted this article. Anyway, just dropping by to say, “Happy holidays” and all the best for the year ahead.
Yan
Blog Tips for Beginners´s last blog post..101 Blogging Tips I’ve Learned in 2008
14 Sharon Hollas (1 comments.) // Jan 8, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Hard to tell if it’s a good time to buy, my inclination is “yes” but then again I’m a realtor. It’s always a good time to buy!
Sharon Hollas
15 Ned // Jan 29, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Sharon, thanks for stopping by. I hope you visit again.
Yes Yan, it has been a long break. Isn’t that a tip I learned from you? Leave some time between posts to allow readers to comment.
I know it has been way to long but I am back. You’ll see more posts soon.
Ned
16 Chris | Martial Development (1 comments.) // Mar 2, 2009 at 6:12 pm
What of those who bought $150/bbl oil, hoping their positive thinking would carry it to $200?
Chris | Martial Development´s last blog post..Fannie Mae Seizes Power in Wall Street Blowout