Today our gorgeous Daniela went to high school for the last time. She is done and ready for college.
 
So Daniela, with tears in my eyes I want to tell you that today is a sad but exciting day.
 
Sad because as a parent I realized that you are not our little girl anymore, you are a beautiful, smart young lady that, soon, will leave home for college.

Sad because today you are closing a stage in your life, you are done with high school and soon you will have to say goodbye to your friends who will be moving to different parts of the world.
 
Yet, very exciting!
 
Exciting because you have chosen the college you will attend and you decided what path you are going to follow.

Exciting because everything is going to be new for you, new smells, new colors, new people.

Exciting because now you are 100% in charge of your life!!!
 
Daniela, you have been getting ready for this day for the past 17 years and you did a great job! We are extremely proud of you. You always managed to come up to the top.
 
Do no not be afraid, always be committed, and do take risks… Life is great!
 
One more thing gorgeous: You will always be our little girl, we love you and... just go for it! 
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Yesterday after having lunch with Paul, a dear friend, he made a comment: “What I always admired of you is the quality of the person you are…”
 
Wow, what a great compliment...

We were having lunch at a restaurant in Quito, Ecuador that I used to frequent often. From the moment we walked in we were greeted warmly, and through out our lunch the employees, one after another stopped by to say hello and to chat with me. “Mr. Mauricio, how is your family, great to see you, we are glad that you stooped by…” All the staff felt comfortable to approach us and to interrupt our lunch, for a hand shake, for a smile, for a warm hug.
 
Paul, said: “The problem with our society is that we only see employees that are there to serve us, we do not see them as human beings. You on the other hand, make everyone feel comfortable, they like to be around you.”
 
Funny, I see myself as a jackass, somebody stubborn and always ready for a battle, yet with people that I believe that are in a weaker position than me I am completely opposite, I try to be kind and to pay attention to what they have to say and truly care about them.
 
So here is my thought:
 
Small acts of kindness make a difference when it comes to cultivating gratitude. When we express our gratitude to others, we strengthen our relationship with them, we show them respect and that we truly value them.

Keep in mind, when you have a grateful attitude you become more energetic and forgiving, and less likely to be depressed or lonely. Gratitude encourages moral behavior and helps people cope with stress and adversity.
 
At the end…we all seek to be valued, to be respected!
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This week I was invited to give a talk to a group of people that are finishing a workshop and are getting ready to apply for a job.
 
While giving the talk I asked one of the gentleman “why should I hire you?” He talked rapidly but did not give a clear answer.
 
I asked a second person, a lady from Ethiopia, “why should I hire you?” Confidently she turned around and said: “I have a great attitude and you would be proud of hiring me!”
 
“Wow,” I said, “this is exactly what we are looking for in a person to hire… attitude, a winning attitude!”
 
With time, as an employer, as a person that is constantly hiring, I had learned that attitude is more important than skill; an employee with a winning attitude is typically an employee who adapts well to change, is coachable, and will change with your business.
 
According to a study by Leadership IQ, 46% of newly-hired employees will fail within 18 months, while only 19% will succeed. Contrary to popular belief, technical skills are not the primary reason why new hires fail; instead, poor interpersonal skills dominate the list.
 
The study found that 26% of new hires fail because they can’t accept feedback, 23% because they’re unable to understand and manage emotions, 17% because they lack the necessary motivation to excel, 15% because they have the wrong temperament for the job, and only 11% because they lack the necessary technical skills.
 
In life, your attitude is the trigger for a series of events…
 
A positive attitude leads to affirmative thoughts, constructive events and successful outcomes; it generates happiness and satisfaction.
 
A negative attitude generates pessimistic thoughts, destructive events and failed outcomes; it provokes anger and disappointment.
 
Which side of the spectrum are you on?
 
Here are some tips to help us maintain a positive attitude no matter what’s going on in our life.

• You determine your reality. Your real challenges are inside your mind and only YOU decide how to act; it is your own reality!
• Start your day strong. Do not drag yourself out of bed; instead jump out excited, it is a brand new day. This will create a positive frame for the entire day.
• Exercise is the natural feel good drug. When you exercise positive chemicals are released into the blood stream. These chemicals help to maintain a bright outlook.
• Overload your brain with positivity. Surround yourself with people who are going to lift you, motivate you and not put you down. Also, you can tap into plenty of authors and motivational work; learn how they think, how they manage their lives and apply their knowledge.
• Your language shapes your thoughts. Little changes in your language can change the way you think and how you act.  Please, thank you, great, amazing, are some words that you can begin with.

 
Keep in mind: Recruiters know that skilled or experienced employees with poor attitudes fail quickly; on the other hand, unskilled or inexperienced employees with great attitudes succeed in the long run.
 
People feel your attitude, so keep it right! - Mauricio Fraga-Rosenfeld