"It isn't enough to want a positive attitude," says Gordon. "To develop and sustain one throughout adversity and challenges, you have to cultivate habits that lead to resilience and mental toughness," says Jon Gordon, author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy.
In an excerpt from his book, Gordon offers 9 tactics you can practice in 2015 to gain an edge on your competition.
Become a selective listener and focus on the positive.
You can listen to the cynics and doubters and believe that success is impossible, says Gordon, or you can trust that with faith and an optimistic attitude all things are possible. Yes, this really is a choice you make for yourself every day.
Zoom focus.
Each day when you wake up in the morning ask, What are the three most important things I need to do today that will help me create the success I desire? Then tune out all the distractions and focus on these actions. "Often, we allow our attention to be captured by each new shiny ball that rolls by, or by each minor fire that needs to be put out, and we end up channeling our time and energy toward tasks with smaller rewards," Gordon notes.
Watch where you're directing your energy.
We all have a finite amount of energy. Don't waste yours on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts, or things you cannot control. "Instead, invest your energy in your purpose, people, and the positive present moment," Gordon suggests.
Focus on "Get to" vs. "Have to."
Each day, focus on what you get to do, not what you have to do. For instance, think, I get to go to a job that utilizes my talent and strengths and that is full of opportunities, instead of, Ugh—I have to go to work today. "Life is a gift, not an obligation," Gordon says. "This may seem like an insignificant mental shift, but it will have a noticeable impact on your happiness and satisfaction."
Remember, there's no such thing as an overnight success. 
