Now, I realize that having a positive attitude is neither easy nor does it come very naturally to us especially as we got older and more jaded. It is very easy to fall into a more pessimistic or cynical attitude, but we need to resist the temptation. It takes work, determination, and drive to break free and achieve the many benefits that come with being positive.

We know that there are so many things that can go wrong or, at the very least, be challenging to deal with during a project. The challenges come from all angles and generally at the worst times. In the midst of that chaos, there is a calming and comforting aspect to being around someone who is positive.

In order to successfully navigate the team through these issues or challenges, top project managers leverage their positive perspective to provide confidence to the team that things will work out and that they have it under control. These same top project manager’s don’t take no for an answer and are able to challenge the status quo for themselves and their teams. The positive attitude becomes infectious many times and others on the team begin to take on that positive perspective. Frequently, that positive team momentum begins to correlate into a higher performing team.

These are just some examples of how a positive attitude can manifest itself not only from a team perspective but also for each of us as project managers. So, what steps can you take to harness the power of a positive attitude or in the case for some how can we continue to maintain it?

Well, as part of the research for another project, I interviewed many different project managers as well as many executives from a wide variety of industries. I was quickly able to see from their insights that there was tremendous value―both perceived and actual―that a positive attitude had on a project manager, team, and executive stakeholder. From those interviews, I was able to see some clear trends about what provided a foundation for the top project managers to gain and maintain their positive perspective.

Overall, there were six key items that jumped out of the comments that helped support their positive attitude and they are:

Solid regular sleep – I know it sounds corny and such an obvious thing, but it is so true. There is no denying the fact that sleep (or the lack there of) is key in determining the attitude we’ll have as face the world each day. Like a kid we all need to get a set number of hours of sleep to not only function at the top of our game but also not be irritable towards ourselves and others. A good night sleep helps provide the first block in a solid foundation for a positive attitude.

Don’t limit yourself – It is important to not say “No” to yourself or to hear it from others. Think not just positively but rather as John Maxwell puts it in his book Thinking For A Change: “Think by feeling the energy of possibility thinking.” Possibility thinking will increase your potential and that of your team. You believe in solutions and are not stopped by what others say especially so-called experts. Experts are generally great at telling why something can’t happen it takes possibilities thinkers to find a way to make it happen.

Don’t get too high or too low – Projects are a wild roller coaster and it is important to keep your emotions in check, and be even keel in your celebrations and disappointments. Emotions are a doubled edged sword in that they can help motivate and drive or they can drag you deeper down a hole when things are not going well. Being positive and maintaining a positive attitude is one about thinking ahead and not about what has been accomplished as much as what needs to be accomplished. You are better able to think about the larger picture and not get too caught up in the moment at hand.