The greatest predictor of success is having a
good attitude, says Victoria Osteen, co-pastor
of the 40,000-strong Lakewood Church in
Houston, Texas, alongside her husband, Joel
Osteen.
Citing a Stanford University study, Victoria says
that even above intelligence, “attitude is a
better predictor of success.”
“You can have aptitude,” she adds, “but if you
don’t have attitude, you won’t get as far in life.”
In the couple’s daily blog on the Joel Osteen
Ministries website, Victoria explains “It starts with our thoughts, and our thoughts develop
our attitudes. When you take in information,
you are the one who chooses to think
positively or negatively about it, and then your
attitude will affect your words and actions.
“You can’t hide a bad attitude; it will eventually
come out! The Bible even says that out of the
abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks!”
This concept is explained in the book of
Numbers, she continues, when 10 leaders
report negatively to the Israelites regarding the
giants living in the Promised Land.
This is compared to two other leaders who
visited the Promised Land and saw the
presence of giants as an opportunity to spread
God’s Word. “They saw the land, they saw the
giants, they saw the walls, and said, ‘This looks
like an opportunity for God to work!'” she says.
Ultimately, the two positive-thinking leaders
were able to enter the Promised Land.
“This should always be a reminder to us that if
we find ourselves in the wilderness, so to
speak, we need to check our attitudes. We
need to check what we are thinking about,”
she emphasizes. “Don’t have a ‘go back’
attitude like some of the children of Israel. Think forward and look forward. Have a
positive attitude of faith so that you can find
success and embrace your Promised Land!”
Pastor Dan Delzell of Wellspring Lutheran
Church in Papillon, Nebraska, said in an op-ed
published in The Christian Post that the best way to maintain a good attitude is through
gratitude.
“It’s hard to have a bad attitude if we stay
focused on thanking God for His goodness to
us. Gratitude drives away a bad attitude,”
Delzell advised, adding that maintaining a
thankful heart will drive away a bad attitude.
“Do you find yourself in a bit of a funk today?
Try thanking God for sending His only Son to
rescue you from sin, death, and hell. And try
thanking God that His love for you endures
forever. There are so many reasons to thank
God. We just need to focus on them and then tell God how much we appreciate all He has
done for us,” the pastor wrote. “A thankful
heart is the key to living a peaceful Christian
life, but it’s not automatic. Decisions must be
made in order for thankfulness to saturate
your spirit.”
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