The first time I decided to raise this topic to discuss, I was thinking about the social life around us, which has been impacting our lives. In this paper, I would like to raise  people’s bad habit that becomes attitude  when they cannot control it well. Therefore, every single person must be aware of their attitude.

There is a very well-known wisdom that actually describes how habit and attitude are inter-related. This wisdom insists that our destiny be determined by our mind. Let’s study the following wisdom :

Watch your mind, because it will become your word

Watch your word, because it will become your action

Watch your action, because it will become your habit

Watch your habit, because it will become your attitude

Watch your attitude, because it will become your character

Watch your character, because it will become your destiny

From the afore mentioned wisdom, we can clearly see that our destiny is derived from our thoughts. Let’s take an example when we’re facing something that hasn’t been familiar with us. We usually tend to say “come on, it is very difficult, only expert can do that. We? We’re just nothing.” This expression is a very common expression uttered by us responding to something new or to something we hate to do.

If only we always give our brain to think that it is easy, everything will always come easy. Even though, of course, there will always something unexpected linger around us but it doesn’t make any sense to excuse. One other fine example is when you happen to become a lazy person, you usually have other people do what is actually you have to do. If you continue to do that, you will end up finding yourself in a categoty of a person with a very gloomy future. No one will come close to you. No one will help you. No one will even greet you. Then somehow, you feel depressed and suicide. See? This is how mind works.

Many experts say our habit is the key to getting along with others and accepted in various environments without having to worry about our competence. Well, it goes without saying that we need competence to work, however, it doesn’t come the first when we’re talking about quality of a person. Why? The reason is that, refer to the above wisdom, our habit will shape our attitude. How we behave  to others is the first gate to win other people’s heart. The question of how we should keep ourselves doing the good deeds remains to be answered.

You now might be thinking of how we can avoid being a person with bad attitude. The good news is- I bet you already know- that bad attitude can be possibly changed. What we need to have is the courage to start and the commitment to keep ourselves in the right tracts. Many people, you might be one of them, actually dare to change however the environment where they live keeps them in a bad attitude. The environment is somehow the most responsible factor for people’s behavior. When you think that your current environment put you where you are now, in this case ‘bad habit’, then you should leave the environment in order that you instill new values and design new habits which eventually can get rid off the old attitude and make you a better person with a never-before-seen remarkable features.

To sum up, I would like to say that we must watch every single thing we think in order to keep our attitude good. If you think you have a bad attitude towards others, then change now. You may find changing our habit or forming a new habit difficult but it is a very possible thing to do. Doing good deeds will lead us to be a good person and vice versa. No matter how bad your attitude is, when you are willing to change it and be a better person, you will!

Picture : http://www.masterkeywisdom.com

by Sabah Laitupa – Moslem University of Indonesia

We often discover many ideas that we think may be very important for other people. The problem is, some often take no notice of our idea even if we are very sure that the idea will be accepted. Leadership is somewhat likely to be the answer of this problem. People are more likely to listen someone who has a good leadership. But, there is somehow a problem that is happening even to those who has a very good leadership who is also being ignored. So, what really is the answer of the problem? Well in order to get that answer let us ask Aristotle. Well maybe not literary ask him about it but he actually had had the key of this problem already. The ability of people to convince other person is not about the trait of the person but it is actually about the three means of persuasion.

The first one is Logos which is the quality of the idea and the way of enlightening (v=menerangkan) the idea. It means that we have to be able to understand everything with the idea because people are more influenced if you comprehend (v=memahami) the materials that are integrated in the plan proposed.

The second is Ethos. To understand this, we can refer to a singer who used to be a street musician. When he or she was on the street nobody seem to even bother watching his or her performance but somehow after competing in a reality show singing contest in national television he or she became famous and won that competition. The response appear to be very different between these two situations knowing that the ones performing have the same vocal cord, the same face, and the same person. It is because they have different ethos, which is the reputation. Even though the “logos” have been achieved but the “street” have no reputation on producing a great singer. However the singing competition does.

Back to the idea that you are planning to recommend, it must be stated in the great place that have a reputation related to it. Even you must have the reputation. Having educational background or experience should do it.

After all those two above being accomplished (v=dicapai), the last thing that we need to deliver our idea is Pathos. It is all about the emotional connection between you and the one you want to convince. To be listened you have to make sure that you made a good bond first. Those two above would not work unless liaison  (n=hubungan baik) have been made. Logos, Pathos, Ethos, the idea is nothing without the rest.

This is what we could learn from Aristotle. If you have a great idea how do you build a credibility and emotional connection?

Reference:  Ted-Ed, Lesson Worth Sharing

by Ahmad Akram | Faculty of Engineering | Hasanuddin University