Since I do most of my work online I don't get out much :)

But this week I spent some time in face-to-face meetings with a handful of people with what I found to be rather surprising results.

You see, I met a couple of lovely people. Both were smart, pleasant, full of great ideas.

And yet there was a big difference between them.

One spent most of their time complaining about people and things. Their kids' teachers were useless. They'd had rubbish customer service at the bank. The government didn't understand small businesses.

The other was positive and upbeat. Not in a cloying, desperate-to-please, look-at-me-I'm-a-lovely-person type way. It was just that what they chose to talk about and focus on were the good things that had happened to them, not the bad things.

Surprise, surprise, I came out of one meeting feeling energised and the other feeling drained.

In fact, over the years my tolerance for “moaning minnies” has shrunk to pretty much zero. Life is short, let's not waste it grumbling about things.

Who are you more likely to buy something from? Someone who leaves you feeling energised and upbeat, or someone who co-opts you in to their moaning about life?

A few years ago we were staying at my parents over New Year and after a few drinks one of their neighbours said to me “you know what Ian, I've known your Dad for 30 years and I've never heard him say a bad word about anyone”.

That struck me at the time as a very good way to live your life and I resolved then never to let myself by drawn into moaning and whinging. If I have a discussion with someone I want it to be about something good that's happened, not a good old moan.

I've found that doing that leaves me feeling much more energised and positive afterwards. 

When I speak to potential suppliers or business partners I never willingly choose to work with people who give off a negative complainy vibe. I just know they'll drain my energy if we work together.

How do you come across when you meet people? I promise you, if you focus on the positive you'll not only sell more, you'll feel better too.