Be Happy – Differentiate between Attitude and Aptitude

Generally, we do not differentiate between Attitude and Aptitude. But there is a difference. An attitude is a hypothetical construct that represents an individual's degree of like or dislike for an item. They are generally positive or negative views of a person, place, thing, or event-- this is often referred to as the attitude object. People can also be conflicted or ambivalent towards an object, meaning that they simultaneously possess both positive and negative attitudes toward the item in question.

An aptitude is an innate, acquired or learned or developed component of a competency (the others being knowledge, understanding and attitude) to do a certain kind of work at a certain level. Aptitudes may be physical or mental. The innate nature of aptitude is in contrast to achievement, which represents knowledge or ability that is gained.

The altitude of your attitude determines your aptitude. Attitude is your behavior whereas Aptitude is your liking / inclination / talent. Attitude is your outlook, your mood. Aptitude is your ability to learn - a propensity for learning. Your attitude has much more bearing than your aptitude on your potential altitude. (You can reach great heights because you have a can-do spirit, even if the academic knowledge doesn't come easily to you.)

Attitude is what a person develops from his environment and Aptitude is something that a person has an innate capacity to do. It’s to have flair about a particular field since birth. Some people can naturally act, paint they don’t have to learn it. It’s like a natural thing for them. While attitude is something situations in life teaches oneself. It may be for good or for bad.

Thomas Jefferson says, "Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude." Keep on going and the chances are you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I have never heard of anyone stumbling on something sitting down. Actually, any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure.


If you don't like something change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain. Life is too short to spend your precious time trying to convince a person who wants to live in gloom and doom otherwise. Give lifting that person your best shot, but don't hang around long enough for his or her bad attitude to pull you down. Instead, surround yourself with optimistic people for better performance. To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world. For success, attitude is equally as important as ability.

Aptitude found in the understanding and is often inherited. One professional says, “Archery is something that I took up later and didn't know I had a natural aptitude for.” Faith is an aptitude of the spirit. It is, in fact, a talent: you must be born with it. In aptitude tests, I scored highest in maths. But personally, I don’t wish it to be my means of earning.

The winner's edge is not in a gifted birth, a high IQ, or in talent. The winner's edge is all in the attitude, not aptitude. Attitude is the criterion for success. Today's students can put dope in their veins or hope in their brains. If they can conceive it and believe it, they can achieve it. They must know it is not their aptitude but their attitude that will determine their altitude. Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.

Be Happy – Differentiate between Attitude and Aptitude