His name is Bob. Every  time someone asks him: “How are you?” Bob responds, “Excellent and improving!” I know Bob. He is humble, he knows he is not perfect, but his attitude is “excellent!”

For many years and in several settings, you and I have heard the phrase “Attitude is everything!” Is that true? Don’t you have do something? What about faith, hope, and charity? But then I realized that faith, hope, and charity are attitudes. And they are attitudes linked to action.

While doing counseling in prison, at the beginning of each session, group members would rate how they were doing based on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 = feeling great! Some would say, maybe a 7 or 8. Okay. What keeps you from being lower, maybe a 6? Or what would keep you from being a 10? Some would say, “Well, I’m not perfect.” One man figured out that a 10 did not mean he was perfect, but he could have the attitude of feeling great, despite the circumstances and living conditions of being in prison.

Our dear prophet President Russell M. Nelson has taught that “Saints can be happy under every circumstance. We can feel joy even while having a bad day, a bad week, or even a bad year! My dear brothers and sisters, the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives… When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation … and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives.”1

So how are we doing? Are we feeling like a 10? Are we excellent and improving? Many people spend a lot of time and money to begin a new year making resolutions to do more and to be better. Interestingly, in 2025 there is a fitness that refuses to sign up new members during the month of January because it’s too much effort to sign them all up and have them drop out just as quickly. He does not want to antagonize the current members with an influx of temporary new signees.2

Thankfully, the Lord always allows and encourages us to change anytime of the year even if sometimes our efforts seem feeble and fleeting. He always “signs us up” again and again.

To make our resolve stronger and less complicated, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf counseled us to do two things:

“First: [he asks}, are we making our discipleship too complicated? … This beautiful gospel is so simple a child can grasp it, yet so profound and complex that it will take a lifetime—even an eternity—of study and discovery to fully understand it… And all of us, as members of the Church, need to make a conscientious effort to devote our energy and time to the things that truly matter, while uplifting our fellowmen and building the kingdom of God.”

Elder Uchtdorf’s second suggestion is: “start where you are.” “Sometimes we feel discouraged because we are not “more” of something—more spiritual, respected, intelligent, healthy, rich, friendly, or capable. Naturally, there is nothing wrong with wanting to improve. God created us to grow and progress. But remember, our weaknesses can help us to be humble and turn us to Christ, who will “make weak things become strong.” Satan, on the other hand, uses our weaknesses to the point that we are discouraged from even trying.”

Elder Uchtdorf continues: “God will take you as you are at this very moment and begin to work with you. All you need is a willing heart, a desire to believe, and trust in the Lord… As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we aspire to … exaltation in the celestial kingdom. It is life eternal in the presence of our Father in Heaven. It is the greatest gift of God. In the celestial kingdom, we receive “of his fulness, and of his glory.” Indeed, all that the Father hath shall be given unto us.”

Elder Uchtdorf reminds us that “God will help [us] become something greater than [we] ever thought possible. And [we] will discover that the gospel of Jesus Christ is indeed working in [our] life. It works.”

May the Lord continue to bless us as we strive to be “excellent and improving”!

  1. Nelson, Russell M. Joy and Spiritual Survival, General Conference, Oct. 2016.
  2. Retrieved 8 January 7, 2025 from https://www.yahoo.com/news/gym-owner-bans-members-january-174109829.html.
  3. Uchtdorf, Dieter F., It Works Wonderfully!, General Conference, Oct. 2015