SOUTHWEST ASIA -- "I-think-I-can, I-think-I-can, I-think-I-can ......" You can learn a lot from a little train engine--I did. I learned anything is possible with the right attitude. 

For those of you who haven't read or been read the childrens' book, The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper, it is a tale about a long train that needs to be pulled over a high mountain; several larger engines pass the train by giving all sorts of excuses on why they can't pull the train over the steep mountain. Finally, a smaller engine named Tillie comes along and agrees to try to pull the long train over the mountain, and with the mantra "I-think-I-can," steadily climbs and eventually reaches the top of the mountain. The train then cruises down the backside of the hill saying, "I-thought-I-could, I-thought-I-could." There are two lessons to learn from this story; if you don't try, you have already failed, and a positive attitude will get you a long way. 

"Not trying is not an option," is what my dad always told me. This applied to everything in my household growing up. Sometimes this turned out good and sometimes not so good. Like the time I was forced to be on a clogging team (yes, I grew up in the South) because my older brother needed a dancing partner. Turned out, it really was fun and I won the "Little Pee-Wee Clogger" award (for the record, my brother quit after two weeks). Or the time I couldn't leave the dinner table until I tried a raw oyster; they are one of my favorite foods now (note: escargot didn't go down so well). 

But you know the downside is coming. I told my parents what a lot of little girls say, "I am going to be a singer when I grow up." So with that my father insisted I do a solo vocal performance at a large neighborhood gathering on the 4th of July. I practiced and prepared and knew all the words to the Star Spangled Banner by heart, but found out that day that singing is a lot more than memorizing words. I knew by the looks of everyone faces that my singing debut was also my finale. 

I was in tears afterward, but my dad tried to cheer me up by telling me that I had at least narrowed down my career choices. I could have seen my singing as a failure--and at the time I did--, but overtime it was the first of many lessons that I now know were blessings in disguise. Don't be guilty of not trying; you will never know your strengths and weakness if you don't at least try everything once. 

With my singing career behind me, it didn't take me long to pick a new career. I was determined to be in the spotlight and told my parents when I was 8 years old that I was going to be a newscaster (you can see how well that worked out). So my parents arranged for me to be on a local TV show called Mr. Bill's Morning Show. I was going to be the "Kid of the Week" who gave the weather forecast. When the bright shinny lights came on, I just stood there in my red plaid dress and pig-tails, smiling and quite honestly didn't remember much else until they said, "Going to break." I was ushered off the set and given a cookie. 

Everyone told me I did great; I was thrilled...I had found my niche! The TV station gave me a video tape which I promptly put in the VCR when I got home. The replay showed a less than stellar performance: I just stood there like a statue with a huge dazed grin, and speechless when they said, "Kim, tell us the weather for today." Mr. Bill was there and ready to go, so no worries, everyone got their weather report that day. This time, I didn't have to wait on my dad to tell me I had narrowed down my career choices. I knew instantly I better find another line of work. Failure is only failure if you don't learn from your mistakes. 

I will spare you all the trials and tribulations of career choices I went through from the time I was 8, until my last semester of college. But it was during my last year of college that I wanted to join the Air Force. So I applied for the Air Force Dietetic Internship and a few months later got a letter thanking me for applying, but that I was not selected. I had a choice to make: Give up and accept failure, or try again. 

Flashbacks from my singing debut popped into my head, but unlike singing, which I immediately knew wasn't for me, I knew I could do this. I asked the recruiter why I wasn't selected and was told I needed to get a master's degree to be competitive. I walked into that same recruiter's office two years later with a master's degree. This time, I was selected and the Air Force asked me to teach at the very internship I was turned down at two years prior. 

Past failures only make you stronger if you learn from them, and with the right attitude, you can get to where you want to be. Just because you fail, don't give up. Evaluate the situation and determine if you gave it all you had; if you didn't, try again. 

Having the right attitude is half the battle when attempting to conquer any feat--no matter how big or small. I am not a super smart brainiac-type person, and as a matter of fact, almost flunked organic chemistry in graduate school. But with an, "I-think-I-can" attitude and a really good tutor, I made it through. I attribute my achievements today to my parents instilling in me that, like Tillie, if you don't at least try, you will never know what you are capable of, and with the right attitude, that anything is possible. When faced with any challenge, personal or professional, big or small, your success will be determined by how you approach the solution. 

Robert Brault said it best when he said, "Where the losers saw barriers, the winner saw hurdles." So the next time you are faced with a challenge, don't shy away from it. Put your best foot forward, and one way or the other you will learn something about yourself. Attitude is everything....and remember, attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?