If you think about it, it makes sense.

Who would you rather spend time with, someone who is upbeat and positive or a with gloomy whiner who either thinks things won't work out or complains when they don't turn out as planned?

You chose spending time around the positive person, right?

If not, then you definitely need an attitude adjustment.

Positive people are hired for jobs. They get promoted more often. They get more dates and have better relationships. They don't dwell on setbacks. Instead, they focus on how to make things better.

So how do you get a positive attitude? There are some basic steps you can take according to Keith Harrell, who is a consultant, motivational speaker and author of several books, including Attitude is Everything: 10 Life Changing Steps to Turning Attitude into Action and The Attitude of Leadership: Taking the Lead and Keeping It. "Attitude is involved in everything you do. It is the starting point and the stopping point of all success," he says.

In order to change your attitude, you must first stop the flow of negativity into the three "gates" of your mind and emotions.

The first is the ear gate. "We are bombarded with a lot of negative news and information. One way to change your attitude when you hear something negative is to say out loud something positive," Harrell says.

Years ago, when he worked at a large corporation, they gathered hundreds of people together to announce that there would be layoffs.

Knowing that there would be vacancies, Harrell jumped to his feat and asked the speaker, "Can I get a bigger office?"

This produced a lot of laughter and helped put a positive note into a very negative situation.

"I was able to look at other opportunities with a proactive attitude while other people were stuck in fear," Harrell said.

As it turned out, he was one of those who was scheduled to be laid off. But because of his positive attitude, one of looking for new opportunities in any setback, he landed on his feet.

The second gate is the eye gate.

In order to protect this gate, Harrell says to avoid watching or reading the news first thing in the morning and before bed at night.

"Read something positive that will renew your mind," Harrell suggests.

You can renew your mind by reading inspirational books, your written list of goals or positive affirmations, which are statements about how you would like to be, written in the present tense. Harrell advises putting these written statements all around your house and workplace so that you see them constantly. Every time you see one of your positive affirmations, it can have a dramatic impact on your attitude. The effect is cumulative. The more you see the affirmations, the more positive your attitude will be. The third gate is your mouth.

"You must learn how to control what you say. "The mouth is the pen to the heart. Every word think you are writing to the tablet of your heart," Harrell says.

In order to increase confidence, speak like someone who is confident.

"You never hear a champion or successful person say ?I just got lucky,'" Harrell says.

According to him, attitude determines your feelings, and feelings determine your actions.

"And it is your actions that determine your results," Harrell says.