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Power
of the Mind
©1997-2004 Edie Pereira Hulbert
and Spirit of Small Business. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
We live in a world which generally focuses on the lack in things rather
than the possibility of things. It is absolutely necessary, then, to
consistently strive to develop your world in a positive way.
Read positive information every day. If reading isn't your idea of fun.
then pull out a tape player and listen to positive information audio
cassettes. If listening isn't your thing either, then put yourself in
the company of people who will stretch you and hold you to a higher
standard. Your new circle of friends becomes your support system, keeping
you focused and directed.
In all of my opportunities to interact with powerful individuals, I
have noticed the one trait that allows them to stand above the rest:
these people have decided what their lives are about. They have created
a vision, never letting their environment, beliefs of others, or the
limits of what had been done in the past shape their decisions. I have
learned, as Napoleon Hill stated, "Whatever the mind can conceive
and believe, the mind can achieve."
How often do we read the newspaper and see articles about killing, robbery,
and misery? How often do you turn on the TV and hear about war and destruction?
If this is our consistent focus, nothing else can be expected. It has
been reported that 96% of news is of a negative nature. Even when the
facts are positive, the anecdotes have a negative slant. For example,
"Unemployment rates wend down today, but that won't help John Smith,
who can't find a job and never will."
Often, those who are bent on convincing you that you cannot live your
dreams are well-meaning; they don't want you to get your hopes up, only
to see them dashed. After all, they're basing their views on "reality."
However, personal reality is completely controlled by the information
we have, and more importantly, by what we focus on. We are often reminded
that we live in the information age. But it's not the information that
is available to us, but the information we avail ourselves of and focus
on that truly determines how we feel and what we accomplish.
Those who succeed in our society are the rare individuals who do not
merely swallow the information fed to them, but seek quality information
that will nourish their lives. They have leaned to trust their instincts/intuition.
If we're not careful, we can find ourselves caught in the trap of "group
thinking," where the psychology of the crowd begins to shape our
perceptions of right & wrong.
Those who follow conventional wisdom (the path of the crowds, the accepted
forms) usually suffer both financially and emotionally. Continually
settling for an average existence results in pain, the pain that comes
from never touching one's true purpose or destiny. There is a price
for going with group thinking and that price is giving up your dreams
and taking the fall that those who fail to think for themselves must
inevitably experience.
Am I suggesting that we blindly turn away from our problems, and merely
"think positive?" Of course not. That is no more a solution
than continuously focusing on the problem. Instead, we must focus on
solutions, both immediate and long term, to the challenges we face.
Decide today on plan to consistently feed your mind with quality information
that can assist you in making intelligent decisions. Seek out and surround
yourself with people who are producing results rather than making excuses.
Your association with them will profoundly shape your destiny. You must
condition yourself for life long success with a strategy that ensures
your constant growth, improvement and happiness.
Hear are four simple habits to follow:
1. Read! Millions of people have learned that the key to life is emulation.
Through the information found in books, you can emulate other people's
positive experiences. Read for at least 30 minutes a day, and make it
a priority.
2. Listen to inspirational and educational tapes. Take advantage of
your downtime, whether it's in a car, or on a plane, or while exercising.
Learn from those who are successful.
3. Keep a journal. If your life is worth living, it is worth documenting.
Placing your thoughts on paper is one of the most powerful ways to clarify
your ideas. Asking yourself powerful questions while documenting challenges
of the day will help you develop resolutions.
4. See yourself as a leader, not a follower. See yourself as one of
the few who do, versus the many who talk. Be a student of possibility
and create a life full of amazing experiences.
From The Rochesterian, November 1994.
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