Years ago, like many other people, I became an Amway distributor. Even though we never got rich, or even sold very many products; one of the best things about Amway, was the mental attitude that they worked hard to inspire in people. We were encouraged to read PMA (positive mental attitude) books, put posters with PMA saying up around our house, and tape our goals in life to the front of the refrigerator.
Ever since then, it seems like I have attracted those same sort of philosophies into my life.
For several years, I sold life insurance for Combined Insurance, which was started by W. Clement Stone, one of the more famous motivational speakers and writers.
I have sat and listened to Zig Ziglar, and read many of the books that have come out to inspire and motivate people; and I really believe that this positive inspiration to always search for the best in every situation that life gives you, is a good thing.
My motto became "when there is nothing to lose, and everything to gain by trying; by all means, TRY ! "
My most favorite motivational writer is definitely Og Mandino. He writes from his mind, and also from his heart, and the stories that he tells makes the truths that he teaches very easy to understand and assimilate into your life.
Og has written some several books, but I would recommend starting with the trio of the "greatest" series. They are "The Greatest Salesman in the World", "The Greatest Secret in the World", and "The Greatest Miracle in the World".
Even the story of Og Mandino himself is inspiring, and should be read so that you have a better understanding of where this man has been, and then what he became.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Og_Mandino