I like to be reminded from time to time that having a positive attitude has so many better outcomes than the opposite approach. Some people try to make the case that focusing on positive outcomes actually drives positive outcomes, which sounds idealistic, but I think there's some truth to that idea.

One such positively-inclined person made a big impact on me seven years ago on my first day on the job at SAS - Newt Gingrich.

No, seriously - he spoke as Keynote at the SAS Health Analytics Executive Conference, which I attended that day. And while he's not best remembered for all-positive actions, he has established himself as an authority on the health care ecosystem as Co-founder of the Center for Healthcare Transformation.

Mr. Gingrich believes that in a contentious situation (like debating health care reform), if all sides simply stopped looking for reasons not to do something and instead focus on what needs to be addressed to make it possible, then the conversation will move toward a positive resolution. Simply put, he believes we should:

Stop saying "No, because..." and instead say, "Yes, if..."

That prescription may / may not be how health care reform actually happened, but he does make a valid point. Just think about it.

More recently, I've been inspired to share thoughts about the power of a positive attitude from an internal blog post written by Fritz Lehman, SVP of Customer Engagement and Support at SAS. His post is titled, "Relentlessly Positive," and I like what he has to say:

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A few days ago, I was reading a blog about strategies companies could use to cultivate millennial data analysts that they employ.  About five paragraphs in, the tone went negative. The author took a cheap shot at SAS.  It was irrelevant to his article and served as a distraction to the point he was trying to make. This got me thinking about how easy it is to be negative in our communications.

Think about your first response when new ideas are presented—both internally or while interacting with customers and partners.  Do you get excited, creative, maybe start to brainstorm?  Or do you explain why it could never work, it’s been tried before, it’s too hard or that’s just not the way things are done?

I’m a realist.  I understand that there will always be internal politics and competing agendas.  We should not put on rose-colored glasses or take a “Pollyanna” approach to SAS or our customers. Excessive or fake optimism gets you nowhere.

However, the right kind of positive thinking centers on believing in your abilities, a positive approach to challenges, and making the most of less than stellar situations.  Great ideas come when we approach conversations, challenges and new ideas with a positive mindset.

I believe that positivity and enthusiasm work in a similar fashion.  They are infectious.  If you are walking down the hallway at work and someone smiles at you, smile back.  It really does help change your mood. It energizes you. I propose we do more to encourage that in each other.  Let’s agree that no matter what obstacle is presented, there’s a good solution to be found.  Then, let’s smile at each other and get to work making it happen.

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Attitude is a choice, so whatever road you're traveling you can choose to see each bump and detour as an obstacle - as an impediment, or a reason to stop. Or you can see them as something you encounter that simply needs extra attention or a quick work-around so you can continue along your way. In the latter case, you continue making progress, and you may even find you enjoy the journey.  Bon voyage!