“Within you right now is the power to do things you never dreamed possible. This power becomes available to you just as soon as you can change your beliefs.” – Maxwell Maltz
The vital importance of managing (controlling) ones thoughts, as well as maintaining a positive attitude on the stair-case to success… in business and in the journey of life.
Our THOUGHTS determine our FEELINGS (emotions). Our EMOTIONS determine our MINDSET: whether positive or negative. Our MINDSET* (or state of mind) determines our ATTITUDE to life.
* though not “set in concrete” – it CAN be changed
Our ATTITUDE determines the way we VIEW the world – hopefully with HOPE and FAITH. Our MINDSET AND ATTITUDES determine the ACTIONS we DECIDE to take to move our lives ahead, ie. to reach our goals, desires and aspirations. The ACTIONS we DECIDE to take usually determine our results (or OUTCOMES)… and
Our OUTCOMES determine the life we will lead… and the LEGACY we leave on this planet.
* Our thoughts influence our reality and our PERCEPTION of reality (otherwise known as the concept of ‘manifestation’). Our thoughts are usually a reflection of our beliefs and attitudes. So if we want to change our reality, then we have to change these beliefs and attitudes that shape our thoughts.
Let’s look at how this process works in some more detail…
1. Changing your THINKING changes your BELIEF system. This is a critical point that shapes your reality. It is important to remember that negative thoughts are usually not the truth and are just beliefs held. A person with low self esteem may hold limiting beliefs, such as “I’m not valued by others”, or “I feel worthless, unloved”, etc). However, if these limiting thoughts persist, they WILL then lead to it becoming a self fulfilling prophecy in a person’s life… and thus a barrier to our experiencing feelings of self worth, love and so on. The cycle repeats itself. So NEVER forget, YOU ARE worthy, a unique person, a ‘child of God’ with special gifts and talents to share with others.
2. Changing our belief system changes our EXPECTATIONS. Put positive expectations into action. EXPECT favourable outcomes – expect something good to happen to you…and take ACTION accordingly… thinking always positive outcomes to your endeavours, ie. success.
3. Changing our expectations changes our ATTITUDE. Focussed thinking allows you to pursue excellence in your life. People who are successful do the right things, BEFORE they feel good.
4. Changing your attitude changes your BEHAVIOUR: “Feel right, then DO right” – with positive expectancy. EXPECT good results – good things to happen to you.
5. Changing our behaviour changes our PERFORMANCE. Be the best you can be with excellence…and most importantly, with utmost integrity.
6. Changing your performance changes your LIFE. Sow excellent seeds to reap an excellent life and don’t it too seriously. Enjoy.
THINK (SUCCESS)
IMAGINE
CREATE and
Have FUN as you learn and grow down the journey of life (as I’ve done researching and writing this piece). * Author Brian Tracy (or was it Norman Vincent Peale, the author of positive thinking?) reminds us that “you are not what you think you are, but WHAT YOU THINK, YOU ARE.”
Think BIG. Dream BIG. Pray BIG… and look for, EXPECT BIG results. It all begins with changing the size of your thinking.
FACE YOUR FUTURE WITH POSITIVE ACTION
Saint Paul once said these words: “Fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you. For God did not give you a spirit of fear, but a Spirit of power, a Spirit of love and a Spirit of self discipline.”
You ALL have within you the spark of God, as well as the unique gifts that your Maker has given you. Fuel that small flame with love and goodness, and let the light of your uniqueness shine brightly on the world.
Don’t wait till you have all the skills. Take that first step in faith and the next step will fall into place naturally. Because that is the way God, the Universe works!
You too can discover the power of God, the Creator of the universe in a new, dramatic powerful way. When you THINK RIGHT, when you focus your mind on your desired goal (or preferably goals), when you focus your mind on the spark that God has given to you and you allow the spirit of God’s power to enflame that spark, and fuel the embers with love, you WILL discover that there’s nothing you can’t do with God. Absolutely nothing is impossible to you and God working in unison!
* NOTES (based on my studies and research, as well as the great discussions on the workings of the human mind with Dr Andy Eastcott – a “spark of inspiration” from the seed of Dr John Maxwell’s work):
KNOW what you really want to do and especially, BE
Aim for clarity, clarity in your “tinking”.
When I create clarity I set out with an intention. When I move that intention forward each day I create momentum. Every small action I take each day over a sustained period just builds up, like a giant ball of snow rolling down a mountainside.
Action is primary (it comes before anything and determines everything else) in that action can change our emotions – it can be “called upon” when required; however it takes TIME to effect a change in one’s thought patterns. It’s a physical change to “wholeness”. ACTION is the only way to change negative thoughts. Just DO…something, anything! Change your thoughts into ACTION (you are not directly changing feelings).
The Power of Thought Energy:
Thoughts are electrical in nature (working like vibration!); whilst feelings are chemical – it just takes TIME to change a feeling from negative to positive. Time is the medium in which the process of change in thinking is fashioned. Everything begins with DECISION. Make the right decisions, then manage them. ACTION focusses the human mind on DOING, rather than on an existing state of darkness (negativity).
1. Why MUST life be fair and perfect for you? – there is no excuse for making excuses! – Become the self author of your authentic self! – LIVE A LIVELY LIFE
From Andy’s Whacky Witticisms Dr Andy Eastcott, Gisborne, Eastland, New Zealand 14th November 04
Manage your thoughts daily…and you manage your LIFE.
Let your bright light shine on the world through your thinking. It’s YOUR time to shine… to celebrate all that’s best and brightest in your life.
Live, love and be happy
Craig Lock (Eagle Productions NZ)
“Man is mind and evermore he takes the tool of thought… and shaping what he wills, brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills. He thinks in secret and it comes to pass – environment is but his looking glass.” – author unknown
(Thanks so much for sharing with me, dad!)
About the submitter: Craig believes in (and loves) sharing information, insights and ‘principles’ to help and especially encourage people to make the most of their minds along life’s magical journey … and that brings him the greatest joy.
Craig’s new blog with thoughts and extracts from various writings is at http://en.search.wordpress.com/?q=%22craig+lock%22 and www.craiglock.wordpress.com
The various books that Craig “felt inspired to write” are available at: www.lulu.com/craiglock http://www.creativekiwis.com/books.html http://www.webng.com/writernz/books.html + http://www.myspace.com/writercraig
“The task ahead of you can always be overcome by the power within you…and the seemingly difficult path ahead of you is never as steep with the great spirit that lies within you.”
“When I let go of what (and who) I think I am, I become all that I can be… and am capable of being.” – craig (as adapted and inspired from Lao Tzu)
Together, one mind, one life at a time, let’s see how many people we can impact, empower, uplift, encourage … and perhaps even inspire to reach their fullest potentials.”
THIS PIECE MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED
“Success. It is open to each individual to choose the goal and go after it – growth and human essence known as character. Perhaps the ultimate purpose of life itself is the testing of the human spirit, to develop out of it something better, more nearly perfect. For after the sands and the dust of the human body has been buried, only the human spirit is left to go on. Each individual in his or her lifetime is entrusted with a fragment of that human essence, to be a spark of his own existence from birth to death. Rich? Has he or she enriched the life spirit, which was given to them? Successful? Has he or she made the spark glow more brightly.”
– Howard Whitman in Og Mandino’s ‘University of Success’.
“Ideals are like stars: you will not succeed in touching them with your hands, but like the seafaring man on the ocean desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them, you reach your destiny.” – Carl Schurz, US general & politician (born in Germany 1829 – 1906)
PPS: Don’t worry about the world ending today… it’s already tomorrow in “little” scenic and tranquil New Zealand
“If the Lord makes you successful, I’ll keep you humble.” – a wife (I won’t say whose!).