I like to read or watch stories about ordinary persons who have succeeded in their endeavours despite the various challenges they have faced in life. The accounts of their perseverance through struggles and setbacks inspire me to keep striving to accomplish my own goals.

As a money coach, I often encounter persons going through serious difficulties with their finances. Their troubling issues include money woes arising from major illness, crippling debt from business failure, or deprivation caused by the death of the family breadwinner.

In a few of these cases, the customary recommendations which I would give to improve their financial problems were not applicable. The situations that they were encountering were so complex that it would take almost a miracle for them to survive and pull through.

The right attitude trumps difficulties

Even though I could not provide them with simple solutions to their concerns, I could always identify those who would somehow find a way to overcome their problems. The main thing that determined the eventual failure or success of these persons was their attitude towards their circumstances.

In life, we are not promised a bed of roses; sadly, some people receive a patch of prickly thorns instead. It may seem unfair that while an elite group seems to excel with little effort, many others have to contend with enough problems to script a melodramatic Lifetime movie of the week.

However, I have learned that despite the situation that you have to face, you can always find solutions if you have the right attitude. In fact, those who have it easy, but display negative attitudes, often will not achieve as much as persons who face their myriad challenges with positivity.

Take responsibility for your results

One important attribute of people who overcome is a willingness to accept their reality. Instead of pretending that their problems don’t exist, they adopt a practical approach to their situation and focus on finding solutions. They don’t waste time indulging in pity parties or casting blame.

Think about your own attitude to your money woes. If you’re struggling to pay your bills, do you think that you have bad luck? If a business venture folds, do you believe that you are destined to fail as an entrepreneur? If you lose money in an investment, do you curse the markets or inept advisors?

If you allow yourself to think that other people or external forces control your eventual results, then you will always have a passive approach towards your results. In order to survive and succeed, you must believe that you have the ability within you to conquer even the most difficult situation.

Your beliefs control your outcome

The psychology of success explains that your deep-seated belief system influences your thoughts, which in turn create your feelings. You then make decisions and take action according to how you feel. Ultimately, the actions you take will produce the results that arise from your efforts.

You also will receive the things that you expect out of life, not what you say you want to happen. So although you may set a goal to improve your net worth, buy your own home or run a profitable business, if your subconscious mind does not believe that you can do it, you will not succeed.

This reality can be attributed to the Universal Law of Expectation, which delivers to you exactly what your inherent belief system expects to happen. Therefore, your own attitude towards success will ultimately determine whether you win or lose; rise above your challenges or succumb to them.

Change your attitude and results

However, if you are aware of your negative beliefs and thoughts, it is possible for you to fight the unsupportive emotions that prevent you from moving ahead. With sufficient willpower, you can force yourself to act against the direction your pessimistic thoughts and feelings are leading you to take.

For example, you may think that you’re not good enough to get a better-paying job, and feel that it makes no sense to apply for the position. However, if you decide to ignore your negative impulses and make a concerted effort to create an impressive résumé, your actions may lead you to success.

Being aware of your unsupportive beliefs, thoughts and feelings is an important step in helping you to develop an optimistic attitude. You don’t necessarily have to spend years in therapy to discover the root cause of your issues, you just need to take positive action that cancels out your emotions.

Believe that you can succeed

As you continue to ignore your thoughts and act optimistically in spite of your feelings, you will begin to see more positive outcomes from your efforts. These encouraging results will help you to develop new, supportive beliefs about your abilities, which will then improve your thoughts and feelings.

Once you start generating more thoughts and feelings of success, you will begin to make better choices and take decisive actions that will lead you in the right direction. This is the process by which you can cultivate a positive attitude and overcome almost anything life throws at you.

Copyright © 2014 Cherryl Hanson Simpson. No reproduction without written consent.

Originally published in The Daily Observer, April 3, 2014

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Cherryl is a money coach and business mentor, and founder of Financially S.M.A.R.T. Services. See more of her work at www.entrepreneursinjamaica.com and www.financiallysmart.org. Contact Cherryl