"Nobody tells me. Nobody keeps me informed. I make it 17 days come Friday since anybody spoke to me." Eeyore



I remember watching cartoons with my kids and watching the ragged little Eeyore on Winnie the Pooh. His house would fall or his tail would come off or he landed unexpectedly in the river and Eeyore, in a deep monotone voice would say, “"When stuck in the river, it is best to dive and swim to the bank yourself before someone drops a large stone on your chest in an attempt to hoosh you there."

Eeyore always expected something bad to happen – and it usually did. We often laughed at his misery either because we find it profoundly funny or ironic. Sometimes art really does imitate life.

Charlie Brown, Sad Sack and Ziggy were also among the ranks of cartoon's great pessimists. And if they weren't altogether pessimistic then they were at least bereft of the proverbial ‘break' that would grant them success.

We all watch these cartoons and we laugh because we have been where they are. Perhaps we are really laughing at ourselves because we can identify with the feelings of failure.

If you are seeking to start a home-based business you need to know that by choosing your attitude you can dramatically alter how you respond to the difficulties that come up.

Take this little quiz.

1. Do disappointments make you feel like a failure or do you look at the disappointment as a new opportunity?

2. When you hit a roadblock are you more inclined to stop dead in your tracks or look for a new route to success?

3. Do you go into a business idea with the underlying belief that you will probably fail or do you ultimately believe you will succeed?

4. Are you exited about your home-based business or do you feel slightly apathetic to the notion of owning a home-based business?

The answers to these very simple questions can help you understand if your view of home-based businesses is bound up in pessimism or if you are more optimistic in your outlook on life and business.

"No Give and Take. No Exchange of Thought. It gets you nowhere, particularly if the other person's tail is only just in sight for the second half of the conversation." – Eeyore

Sometimes I wonder what the statistics might be on home-based businesses that failed simply because the owner had given up before they ever really got started? Honestly, don't you wish there was a way to track that information. It would likely have a profound impact on our own business outlook.

We all like to be around people who have a positive attitude and a good idea about where they want to go with their life and business. A positive outlook is attractive to others, yet it seems fewer and fewer individuals possess something they can ultimately choose, but opt for rejection instead.

If you've been acting a bit like Eeyore maybe it's time for an attitude adjustment? Your home-based business may just depend on it.