It’s easy to focus on what’s bad. It’s harder to focus on what’s good.

For most people, the default response is negative or neutral. That’s not a flaw. It’s how the brain works. We’re wired to notice what’s wrong before we notice what’s right.

You can see this show up early.

Not long ago, I asked an elementary-age kid who was the youngest in their family, “Do you like being the youngest?”

The answer came quickly. “It’s the worst.”

That caught my attention, so I followed up. “Before you tell me why it’s the worst, tell me what’s good about it.”

Without much hesitation, they listed several positives like; More attention, fewer responsibilities, older siblings to learn from, and more freedom.

Then I asked them to go back to what was bad.

This time, the list was much shorter. The strongest answer was, “My older sibling doesn’t want to play with me anymore.”

So I said, “It sounds like it isn’t the worst. It just has some positives and some negatives.” That’s the point.

Looking for what’s bad first is learned early.

Most people overemphasize minor negative details. What’s required is what I call an IPA. Not the kind of beer. IPA stands for “Initial Positive Attitude.”

When you start with what’s good, the negative doesn’t disappear, but it loses its power.

Some people train their minds to think this way. Others train themselves to do the opposite. The good news is this is a small adjustment that can change your day, your week, and sometimes more than that.

So just for today, will you start with an IPA and look for what’s good first?

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