Asked to write an essay on courage a student at the Oxford University left 3 empty pages, winding up his efforts with a one liner, “this is courage!”.
In his book “Our Social World”, Don Forsyth describes – “an attitude is not a feeling, a cognition, or a form of behaviour; instead, attitudes combine all three components in an "integrated affect-cognition-behaviour system””.
Attitude is an explicit reflection of one’s personality. Attitude projects a person’s perspective on issues in a subtle way. As individuals we are bound by our personal goals. There are two approaches two start working on a goal – either review historical approaches and follow the treaded path or else work your way through the goal, projecting the individual : “you” rather than “they” ! A goal can be half-attained in the mind. It’s the fresh approach that matters because the world is yet to witness it. Attitude has a great advantage that it cannot be measured directly, so no one can dictate attitude. Attitude is nascent in every man. Gandhi had a whole new attitude of Non Violence, Mandela symbolises equality, Ali “floated like a butterfly and stung like bee”. Attitude can never fail, it can only be put to further scrutiny.
Attitude is not strictly “defiance”. Attitude is modified mental approach to a tested action. In a world where competition is cutthroat, there can be no better way of mental evaluation than getting a picture of the individual attitude. Attitude is the driving force behind change. Attitude is a window to the human intent.
Attitude can change anything !


- Somnath Sarkar