Thoughts You Are Entertaining

"If we are not responsible for the thoughts that pass our doors, we are at least responsible for those we admit and entertain."~Charles Newcomb

What thoughts are you admitting and entertaining? Have you ever thought about what you are thinking about? It's called Metacognition and it's thinking about what you think about.  Start now, because if you don't, you will never understand why you can't seem to get what you want.

It's true that there are thoughts that just pop into our brain but the key is to maintain your "brain garden" free from those negative thoughts and bad weeds. Once they enter your thought pattern make sure that you weed them out so they can't plant in your brain.

What are you doing about what you aren't doing? Anything? Are you learning something new? Are you being coached or mentored by someone? Or are you doing nothing about what you aren't doing???

Action:
Keep weeding your "brain garden" minute by minute. It might be a hassle to start but you will benefit from it immediately. Start doing something about what you aren't doing.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"If we are not responsible for the thoughts that pass our doors, we are at least responsible for those we admit and entertain."

Live Out Of Your Imagination

"To grow, you must be willing to let your present and future be totally unlike your past. Your history is not your destiny." ~Alan Cohen

You do realize that your past does not equal your future, right? Right?? Just because you haven't done something doesn't mean that you can't do it now. You can do.  This is an attitude to have...choose to have this attitude.  Too many people think that since they haven't done something yet, they can't do it at all.

Here's another great attitude to have. Anthony D'Angelo said "If you have time to whine and complain about something, then you have the time to do something about it." If you complain about anything, then you do have the time to do something about it. Unfortunately, too many people have become victims and all they can do is whine and complain. Don't let that be you!

Wayne Dyer said that we need to "Live out of your imagination, not your history."  Do you allow yourself to live out of your imagination or do you just live out of your history?

Action:
Don't allow your past to affect your future. You can become what you want to become. Stop complaining and whining and start changing the things that you are complaining about.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"To grow, you must be willing to let your present and future be totally unlike your past. Your history is not your destiny."

Choose Your Attitude

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” ~Viktor E. Frankl

The last of the human freedoms..."to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances." That means a new economy, a lousy boss, a bad relationship, any set of circumstances! It is your CHOICE!!! And only yours!

You get to choose your own way. It's not dictated by anyone other than you...unless you give someone else that power. A lot of people have given their power away to someone else. Don't let that be you!

Shakespeare said “Make not your thoughts your prisons.” Are you a prisoner of your thoughts? Think about that. What thoughts are hold you back, holding you prisoner? When you examine those thoughts, you will find that there is no truth to the thoughts that are holding you prisoner. It's just a story that you are telling yourself so it becomes a story that you live.

Action:
Know and realize that no circumstance can dictate your attitude to you. You are the only one who can choose your attitudes. Take today to examine the thoughts that are holding you prisoner. After analyzing them realize that you don't need them anymore. Make a prison-break in your mind!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

The Secret Power

"Our attitudes control our lives. Attitudes are a secret power working twenty-four hours a day, for good or bad. It is of paramount importance that we know how to harness and control this great force."~Tom Blandi

How is your attitude? I know, I know, I can hear you now..."My attitude is great," right? Really?? Most people don't think about their attitude and think that it is always great. But it's NOT! This is one area of your life that you can change and control and it will only cost you a little discipline.  (See yesterdays post for ideas on discipline)

Anthony de Mello said "What you are aware of you are in control of; what you are not aware of is in control of you." Start being aware of your attitude, towards your work, your play, all the time. When you are aware, you are in control. Attitude...the only thing that we can truly control!

Action:
Be more aware of your attitude and how you project it to the world. Take time to think about it to make sure that it is the way that you want it to be. Don't let others choose your attitude for you!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Our attitudes control our lives. Attitudes are a secret power working twenty-four hours a day, for good or bad. It is of paramount importance that we know how to harness and control this great force."

The Power Of Belief

"Never underestimate the power of belief when it comes to fulfilling your dreams. I can say with no hesitation that every person I've ever met who has achieved any degree of success has one thing in common: they believed with all their heart they could do it." ~Mac Anderson

What is your belief when it comes to fulfilling your dreams? Do you believe that you can do it or are they just dreams? Unfortunately, to most people, they simply are dreams of what could have been, or what should have been or what would have been. It's so sad to see people bringing their past into their future!

Think about the successful people that you know. Did they lack belief in their dreams? I bet not...so what about you? What are you waiting for? What do you believe about your dreams? Do you believe that you can accomplish them? I hope so.

W.C. Fields said “Attitude is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than what people do or say. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill.” That attitude that he was talking about is all about belief!

Action:
"It's never too late to become who you were meant to become." Stop waiting! Believe! Take Action! Become who you were meant to be!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Never underestimate the power of belief when it comes to fulfilling your dreams. I can say with no hesitation that every person I've ever met who has achieved any degree of success has one thing in common: they believed with all their heart they could do it."

Discipline Is Not A Nasty Word

“Self-discipline begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don't control what you think, you can't control what you do. Simply, self-discipline enables you to think first and act afterward.”~Napoleon Hill

Mastery of your thoughts. How often do you control what you think about? How often do you think about what you are thinking about? It's called Metacognition and we need to do more of it. Most people just go about their lives without really thinking. The challenge is to really think about what you think about.

"Self-discipline enables you to think first and act afterward.” Think first and act afterward. What a novel concept! Thinking and responding rather than not thinking and then reacting.  That's the way most people do it.  They react to something instead of responding.  Responding requires thought and for most people it's just too tough.

Pat Riley said “Discipline is not a nasty word.” He is so right.

Action:
Think and respond rather than reacting. Take today to think about what you think about. It might enlighten you to as to why some things keep happening to you. Work on Self-Discipline.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“Self-discipline begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don't control what you think, you can't control what you do. Simply, self-discipline enables you to think first and act afterward.”

Your Gift To The World

"It's not what you are that holds you back, it's what you think you're not."
~Denis Waitley

Are you thinking that what holds you back is who you are? That's not what is holding you back. What is holding you back is thinking that you are not enough, thinking that you need to become more. All you really need to do is to find who you think you're not inside of you! We each have been created uniquely, and each of us has something special to bring to the world.

Are you bringing your uniqueness to the world? Here's the sad part if you aren't. The world will never see what you were meant to bring to it because you are the only one who was given that special gift to give the world. The gift you were meant to bring to the world can only be brought by you.

Here's the attitude you need to have. Joan of Arc said "I'm not afraid... I was BORN for this!" You were born to bring your uniqueness to the world. Don't be afraid. Start now.

Action:
Realize that you have everything you will ever need to bring your uniqueness to the world inside of you already. Your don't have to learn something new, you just need to release what's inside of you.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"It's not what you are that holds you back, it's what you think you're not."

I Give You Permission

"We need to give ourselves permission to act out our dreams and visions, not look for more sensations, more phenomena, but live our strongest dreams -- even if it takes a lifetime."~ Vijali Hamilton

Have you given yourself permission to act out your dreams and visions? Really? Most people are waiting for someone else to give them permission. If you are waiting, here it is: I GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO ACT OUT YOUR DREAMS!! See, that wasn't so hard, was it? You have been given permission.

Are you looking for more sensations and more phenomena? SQUIRREL!!!!  In our "microwave society" that's all it seems that is important to most people.  More sensations and more phenomena.  And we have lost the ability to enjoy delayed gratification...we want it NOW!!!  See, most of us are too busy adding on, looking for more and more when the best thing to do is take things that don't work away. When what we have all works for us, it allows us to live our strongest dreams.

Action:
Give yourself permission or take the permission that I bequeath to you. Act out your dreams and visions. Take things away that don't work for you anymore.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"We need to give ourselves permission to act out our dreams and visions, not look for more sensations, more phenomena, but live our strongest dreams -- even if it takes a lifetime."

Think Over and Over

"As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives."~Henry David Thoreau

What kind of deep mental paths are you creating? Are you allowing them to dominate your life? Research has found that we have about 60 thousand thoughts per day...and 85% of those thoughts are NEGATIVE! They also found that out of those 60k thoughts, 80% were the same thoughts that you had yesterday!

Are you thinking the same things over and over and expecting a different result?  Guess what?  Ain't gonna work!!  You need to start training your mind to think new and better thoughts.  You can do it, it just takes some time and practice.  That's the real challenge though...Time and Practice.  In our microwave society, we want everything NOW!  You can't create a deep mental path just doing it once.

Peace Pilgrim said "If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought." Wow, NEVER think another negative thought! It's interesting that to develop your mind with positive thoughts it takes work and work, while our brain goes to the negative so much easier. Think about the last time you had a "What if" thought. Was it positive or negative? Most people's "what ifs' are always negative. What if you could make them positive?

Action:
Challenge yourself to think NEW and BETTER  thoughts every day. Don't get caught in the never-ending loop of old, negative thoughts. Make your "what ifs" positive. It really can be that easy.  It's your choice!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives."

Stop Adding, Take Away!

"Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." ~Antoine de Saint Exupery

Wow, what a different way to look at things. We are so used to adding more and more things to make it work, but according to Exupery, he says that perfection is achieved when there is nothing left to take away.

Think about all the things you add to your life and business.  Now think about how much you have taken away.  Are you a hoarder of these things.  Do you keep adding new ideas to your business without ever taking any away?  SQUIRREL!!!  Stop adding new things and start taking things away!

Michelangelo always said that his famous "David" was inside the marble all the time and all he needed to do was take away the excess. What are you adding vs. what can you take away to make things perfect? Think about that, take away the excess and you will be left with the most important stuff. Too often we add and add rather than take away.

Action:
Look at everything that you do. Stop adding to what you do. What can you take away? Look for your perfection in the taking away rather than the adding.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."

What Happened??

"When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened." ~John M. Richardson Jr.

Which one are you??? I know, you are one of those who make it happen, right? But really, do you make it happen or do you just say that you do? It's real easy to say, but much harder to do and when things get hard, we tend to not do them. Because it's too hard or will take too long or we are not committed to doing it, so we don't. Then we just let life happen to us.

Are you interested or are you committed?  See, because if your just interested, you will do things when they are easy or you can do them quickly.  If you are only interested when things get hard, you will quit.  If you are committed, you will do whatever it takes.  No excuses. Period!!

Here's the thing about letting things happen to you. If you don't have a plan, you will become a part of someone else's plan.  And guess what, their plan doesn't have much for you. I hope that you aren't one of the ones who just wonder what happened. Everything happens for a reason. There are no coincidences.  Everything happens for a reason.

Action:
Go about today and MAKE THINGS HAPPEN! Don't go through this day just letting it happen to you. Create the life that you've always wanted.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened."

No One Can Take It Away

"Nothing is as real as a dream. The world can change around you, but your dream will not. Responsibilities need not erase it. Duties need not obscure it. Because the dream is within you, no one can take it away." ~ Tom Clancy

How real is your dream? Do you allow yourself to dream or do you put it on the back burner so that you can deal with your responsibilities? Are you more concerned with your duties than your dream? Now, don't get me wrong, your duties are important, but not as important as your dream!

Only you can take your dream away from you. No one else can. Do you realize that or have you let others take your dream away? I sure hope not, but if you have, you can reclaim your dream right now. Just do it! Right now! Your dream is your choice. Make sure that you choose well.

Action:
Take one step toward your dream today. That's all it takes, is one step a day. Soon you will so close to your dream that you will be able to touch it and feel it!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Nothing is as real as a dream. The world can change around you, but your dream will not. Responsibilities need not erase it. Duties need not obscure it. Because the dream is within you, no one can take it away."

Cancel!

“Want to overcome discouragement? Stop listening to yourself and start talking to yourself.”

Are you listening to yourself and not talking to yourself? It's a real easy trap to fall into. And we often listen ourselves out of opportunities, don't we. Have you named your little voice? Mine is Ziggy, for Sigmund Freud and the comic strip Ziggy. That makes it easy to talk to and make it either stop or at least tone down the noise.

Here's a way to calm your "Ziggy" down or get ti to stop.  After you hear something that doesn't work for you, say "Thanks for sharing, CANCEL!"  Say it out loud, because you need to hear it.

Your brain is NOT your friend. It is designed to keep you safe and to challenge anything new or different. How can you grow unless you try new or different things? You need to constantly ask questions and challenge how you think. Can you do that? It is difficult, but I believe that you can.

Think of your brain as your comfort zone.  Everything you want in life is outside of your comfort zone, so you have to step out, no matter what your brain is telling you.  So everything you want is outside of your brain and because it's new or different, your brain is going to want to keep you safe.

Action:
Stop listening to yourself and start talking to yourself. You will be in a better frame of mind and even more productive!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“Want to overcome discouragement? Stop listening to yourself and start talking to yourself.”

Future Adventure or Live in the Past?

“The big question is whether you are going to be able to say a hearty yes to your adventure.” ~Joseph Campbell

Are you ready to say a hearty YES to your adventure? Really? Then, what are you waiting for? Permission? OK, I give you permission to say a hearty YES to your adventure. Now, what are you waiting for?

Oh, you need to let go of yesterday, right? The beautiful journey of today can only begin when we learn to let go of yesterday. You may not have known it, but you need to let go of the past if you are ever going to move forward. Are you ready to let go of the past and live in the present?

There are many reasons that people don't want to let go of the past.  Some are getting some benefit out of holding on to the pain of the past.  For some people it was the highlight of their life and they just can't let it go.  Realize that you need to let it go before you can move ahead with your life!

Action:
Start leaving the past in the past so you can live in the present and move into your future. The future that you create. The future of your dreams. "It's never too late to be who you were meant to be."

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“The big question is whether you are going to be able to say a hearty yes to your adventure.”

They Are NOT Thinking About YOU

"You wouldn't worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do."~Eleanor Roosevelt

I just love this quote! Read it again. Now, think about how many times you didn't do something because of what other people thought about what you were going to do.  Guess what? They weren't thinking about you!  Stop running your life based on what other people think!

Think about when you meet someone and tell them what you do for business. Guess what? They don't care about what you do for business. What they care about is what you can do for THEM!! That is the only time people really think about you...when you can show them how you can help them! It's all about them. Never forget that.

A favorite quote of mine is "It's none of my business what you think of me." See, because when I care about what you think about me, I change who I am to fit what you think about me.

Action:
Realize that most people are NOT thinking about you. What they do care about is what you can do for them! So don't run your life based on other people's thoughts.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"You wouldn't worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do."

What Are You Focusing On?

"Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success stories were created by people who recognized a problem and turned it into an opportunity."~Joseph Sugarman

This is so true...the problem is that we focus so much on the problems that we can't see the opportunity. A long time ago, one of my first mentors told me, "don't come to me with a problem unless you also have a solution." That's always stayed with me. Do you think like that? What would happen to you if you did?

Why do people do business with you? Because you solve a problem for them, that's why. We are all looking for our problems to be solved for us. Those who can solve the problems are rewarded, not those who can't or only see the problem.

Action:
Stop focusing on the problem and start focusing on solutions! Analyze the problem but then search for opportunities. Don't stay focused on the problem, only the opportunities.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success stories were created by people who recognized a problem and turned it into an opportunity."

Questions ARE the Answer!

"Some self-confronting questions: 'Where do I want to be at any given time? How am I going to get there? What do I have to do to get myself from where I am to where I want to be? ... What's the first, small step I can take to get moving?'"~ George A. Ford

Questions are the answer! When was the last time you asked yourself these self confronting questions? Have you ever asked them? Most people just go through life without ever asking these questions and don't know why they do what they do, other than to pay the bills. Without asking these questions, you will never be who you were meant to be, never become the person who can change the world with your unique talents...all because you stayed safe by not asking those self-confronting questions.

Stop playing small!! Be who you were meant to be! Bring your unique talents to the world, because if you don't, the world will never see them. Each of you were meant to bring something great to the world, why are you keeping it to yourself??

Action:
Ask yourself those questions and more. Challenge your perception of who you are and who you are becoming. Be who you were meant to be.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Some self-confronting questions: 'Where do I want to be at any given time? How am I going to get there? What do I have to do to get myself from where I am to where I want to be? ... What's the first, small step I can take to get moving?"

YOU Are In Control

"Understanding that we control our own destiny is the key to our success in life. Simply put, when we decide how we want our life to be we must take responsibility and move forward."~Mac Anderson

Do you realize that? YOU control your own destiny! It's not controlled by the economy, your boss, your spouse, your parents...YOU control your own destiny!! The challenge is knowing what you want it to look like and being specific! Most people really don't know what they want. They want to be "rich." To be "happy." What do those things mean?? Nothing to your brain. You need to be specific in knowing what you want and why you want it.

Why do you want to be "rich?" And what does "rich" mean to you? Put a number on that. Say, "I want to make $750k a year!" Your mind can get around that. Now, why do you want to make $750k a year? The whys will be your driving force when you slow down or are depressed or not feeling excited about what you are doing.

Action:
Be specific about what you want out of life. Real specific. Realize that it's your choice...no one elses, only yours.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Understanding that we control our own destiny is the key to our success in life. Simply put, when we decide how we want our life to be we must take responsibility and move forward."

Limitations to Overcome

"The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome."~ Helen Keller

What is limiting you now? Why are you letting it limit you? Most of our limitations come from our own mind. Is that what is limiting you today? Why?  You are the only one who can stop you.  Why do you let yourself do it?

Samuel Johnson said "Adversity has ever been considered the state in which a man most easily becomes acquainted with himself." Are you becoming acquainted with yourself? Who are you becoming?

Our lives are based on overcoming our limitations and dealing with adversity. How are you doing? Really? It's important to realize that we are never face with a problem that we can't deal with or overcome...unless we choose to not deal with it or not overcome it. Dig deep, find that limitation and adversity overcoming button within you. It's your choice, no one elses.

Action:
Find your overcoming button within you, if you already haven't. When was the last time you needed to use it...you might be needing it now.  "That was Easy!"

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome."

Attached To Your Burdens?

"People become attached to their burdens sometimes more than the burdens are attached to them."~George Bernard Shaw

Are you attached to your burdens? Sometimes we grow to accept our burdens and then don't get rid of them, but keep them attached to us. Is that you? Are you keeping that burden attached to you?

Sometimes we keep our burdens because we got some kind of feedback from others.  Realize that we keep our burdens attached because we are getting some kind of benefit from holding on to it. Sometimes we keep them just to see if anyone cares enough about us to help us.  LET IT GO NOW!

"Real difficulties can be overcome, it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable." ~Theodore N. Vail

Are you allowing those imaginary difficulties to keep you down? "Real difficulties can be overcome, it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable." Yes, real difficulties CAN be overcome. It's the trash in your head that is unconquerable. Wow, it all comes back to what we think. "No thought lives in your mind rent-free." What are you paying for the thoughts that you have? Is it costing you or are you getting a return on your investment for what you think?

Action:
Realize that the biggest problems that you will face today are the imaginary ones, not the real ones. Lose you attachment to your burdens. It's your choice!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"People become attached to their burdens sometimes more than the burdens are attached to them."

"Real difficulties can be overcome, it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable."

Opposite Direction

"Swim upstream. Go the other way. Ignore the conventional wisdom. If everyone else is doing it one way, there's a good chance you can find your niche by going in exactly the opposite direction." ~Sam Walton

Are you swimming up stream? Ignoring the conventional wisdom? Or are you going with the flow, doing what everyone else is doing? Being a penguin rather than a peacock?? BE YOURSELF, everyone else is taken! Too many people are stuck as penguins in the sea of sameness, not standing out, not being all that they could be. Is that you? I hope not.

If you feel stuck and like you aren't getting anywhere "there's a good chance you can find your niche by going in exactly the opposite direction." Can you do that? Can you try? Don't be stuck in "this is the way we've always done things" routine. Look for a way to stand out! Let your beautiful feathers shine, not just the black and white of a penguin.

Action:
It's never too late to be who you were meant to be. Challenge your assumptions and beliefs today. See if they really hold up or they were given to you by someone else. BE YOU!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Swim upstream. Go the other way. Ignore the conventional wisdom. If everyone else is doing it one way, there's a good chance you can find your niche by going in exactly the opposite direction."