I was in a doctor’s office the other day, and something taped to the check-in counter kiosk caught my eye. It was titled “Attitude,” and it was written by Charles Swindoll.
I’ve long been a fan of Chuck’s writing and teaching and was surprised to find something of his displayed so prominently in such a setting. But after I read what had been selected, it made perfect sense.
His words were needed by everyone checking into that office.
And everyone checking into every office.
And everyone checking into the world.
Before I join others in sharing his well-known words, I felt it would serve to also share a story of Chuck’s that provides some background.
The 19th century had a gifted violinist named Niccolo Paganini. In a performance before a packed house, playing through a difficult piece of music with a full orchestra surrounding him, one of the strings on his violin snapped. With the string hanging there, you could see the sweat begin to emerge on his face.
But he kept playing.
He was forced to improvise on note after note, but he kept at it.
Then a second string on his instrument broke, followed by a third.
The audience just stared at the three limp strings hanging from his violin. They started to get up and move around—the performance was obviously over. At the very least, they were going to have to stop the concert long enough for him to restring his instrument.
Then the master performer did something amazing.
He completed the difficult composition on his solitary string.
When he finished, the audience rose to its feet and, in good Italian fashion, shouted, “Bravo! Bravo!” When the audience finished its applause, Paganini motioned for them all to be seated.
They couldn’t believe it—there couldn’t be an encore, could there?
They all sat down.
Paganini held his single-stringed violin high above his head. He nodded at the conductor to begin the encore. He turned back to the crowd, and with a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his lips, shouted,
“Paganini… and one string!”
Then he placed his violin under his chin and played the final piece on a solitary string as the audience, not to mention the conductor, shook their heads in awe.
Here’s how Chuck Swindoll has famously reflected on that story:
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company… a church… a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our attitudes.
Yes, yes, we are.
Sources
Charles Swindoll, Strengthening Your Grip.
Charles Swindoll, “What’s Your Attitude?” Insight for Living, October 14, 2016, read online.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/A. Martin UW Photography
James Emery White is the founding and senior pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, NC, and a former professor of theology and culture at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he also served as their fourth president. His latest book, Hybrid Church: Rethinking the Church for a Post-Christian Digital Age, is now available on Amazon or from your favorite bookseller. To enjoy a free subscription to the Church & Culture blog, visit churchandculture.org where you can view past blogs in our archive, read the latest church and culture news from around the world, and listen to the Church & Culture Podcast. Follow Dr. White on X, Facebook, and Instagram at @JamesEmeryWhite.
Originally published June 04, 2026.
