Tag Archives: Mindset

Your Powerful Thoughts and Mind

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“You will attract to you…the very things, or the very station in life, that you create in your thoughts.” —Napoleon Hill

The most powerful tool available to you is your mind and you can attract the very things you create in your thoughts and mind, writes Napoleon Hill, America’s most followed motivational author about the principles of success. “Your thoughts singularly determine your personal outcomes in life, as well as your ability to enjoy the journey,” he opines.

In order to harness your thoughts to create the life you desire, you simply need to utilize the mental resources already within your possession, Hill concluded. You must cultivate a thorough understanding of the workings of the mind and the manner in which thoughts may be transformed into their physical counterparts.
 
In order to create positive change in your life, you must learn to harness the power of your thoughts. In particular, you must discover how to:

  • Magnetize your thought impulses with desire
  • Refine your thoughts with definiteness of purpose
  • Control and direct your emotions to productive ends
  • Support your goals with a compelling network of motives
  • Create positive thought habits through concentration and repetition
  • Protect your mind from negative external influences

The more you practice, the greater control you will have over your thoughts and emotions, which will enable you to enjoy more success in the pursuit of your definite major purpose.

Essentially, Dr. Hill wrote that there are no limitations to the mind conditioned for success and achievement.

“Try as hard as you wish and you cannot be happy unless you BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!

Work with all the strength at your command and you cannot accumulate more than barely enough to live on unless you BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!

The one and only person in all this world through whose efforts you can be supremely happy under all circumstances, and, through whose labor you can accumulate all the material wealth that you can use legitimately, is YOURSELF!” —Napoleon Hill

By understanding and embracing the power of thought and your mind, you will be able to operate at a higher plane of thought and action, better recognizing opportunities, gaining influence, and instilling this critical quality in others.

According to Napoleon Hill (Law of Success), self-confidence is…

  • the banishment of fear
  • the acquisition of mental courage
  • a safeguard from failure and defeat
  • the foundation for high achievement
  • the secret to attracting opportunities
  • the impetus for taking action on your dreams
  • the crucial ingredient for healthy relationships
  • the key to personal freedom and joy

When you believe in your ability to succeed…you completely transform your life.

“Change your thoughts and you change your world.” ~ Norman Vincent Peale

Most people take their joys and blessings for granted. Instead of focusing on their joys and blessings, they rather focus on what they do not have; or, constantly think and complain about their problems and troubles.

But, changing your focus and thoughts from problems to joy, and from what you don’t have to expressing gratitude for your many life blessings will change your life. And, a great way to change your thoughts is to appreciate and enjoy what you already have.

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” ~ Melody Beattie

Focus on changing your thoughts and focus instead of changing the world and environment around you

It is impossible to change the world or environment around you. The best and wisest course of action is to change yourself or at least change your thoughts and attitude towards the people or situations you do not like.

“Never underestimate your power to change yourself; never overestimate your power to change others.” ~ Wayne Dyer

References:

  1. https://www.amazon.com/Napoleon-Hills-Language-Thought-Publication/dp/164095242X/ref=nodl_
  2. https://www.brownleeglobal.com/working-on-your-goals-and-expressing-gratitude-everyday/
  3. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1640952349/ref=emc_b_5_mob_i
  4. https://www.purposefairy.com/66095/change-your-thoughts/

The Power of “I Am”

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Self-talk, which is also known as your inner voice, are the words and messages you repeatedly say to yourself. These words, whether they are positive or negative, strongly influence how you feel and act in your daily life.

Self talk directly and substantially influences the way you think, behave and feel. Therefore, it’s important to use positive, motivating words that are structured to help you live your best life. For example, some people say destructive and disparaging comments to and about themselves that they would never say to someone else.

What follows the two simple words, “I Am”, will determine what type of life you have and will either bring success or failure in your life, says Pastor Joel Osteen.

Instead of saying negative “I Ams”, – “I am a failure. I am never going to succeed”, say what God says you are. Declare “I am blessed, confident, loved, accepted.”

When you change your “I Ams,” your life will change for the better. The seeds of greatness on the inside will spring forth.

10 Tips to become physically/mentally/emotionally stronger:

  1. Workout and move every day, eat healthier and get adequate sleep
  2. Meditate every day and strive to live a purpose driven life
  3. Accept new challenges or try something new…keep growing.
  4. Take some time to reflect and to be mindful…and spend time reading everyday
  5. Develop positive self-talk (affirmations) and stop negative self-talk
  6. Get comfortable with and learn from rejection and failure
  7. Have a gratitude attitude daily and keep a gratitude journal
  8. Be kind to yourself and others
  9. Stop comparing yourself to others
  10. Surround yourself with positive people

References:

  1. https://www.joelosteen.com/how-to-watch/Messages/2018/04/09/20/26/The%20Power%20of%20I%20Am
  2. https://positivewordsresearch.com/thoughts-matter/

Failure is Always an Option

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“Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough.” ~ Elon Musk

Most people are afraid of failure. Yet, there is nothing new about failure, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of either. No one wants to fail at what they do, especially if it’s something they’re very invested in.

Elon Musk has a very simple way of not letting the prospect of failure get in his way, according to Jenny Medeiros at Goalcast. He doesn’t avoid failure or hope that it doesn’t happen, instead, he anticipates that it will occur.

Getting comfortable with the idea of failing isn’t easy. But there are steps, according to Medeiros, you can take to create a well-thought contingency plan when failure happens.

  1. Take a pen and paper right and write down a project you’ve always been meaning to start but haven’t due to the fear of not being successful.
  2. Now, write down the absolute worst-case scenario for that project. It could be losing money, wasting time, public embarrassment, etc.
  3. Next, break down the causes of this worst-case scenario. Then cross out the ones that are out of your control.
  4. Finally, write a contingency plan for each cause you can control. If you’re worried that no one will want to buy your designer socks, your plan could be to re-use those designs on other products like t-shirts or even notebooks.

The important thing here is to always expect and be willing to embrace failure, and be ready for it. Only then will it stop being the reason you don’t move forward with your goals.

Surrendering to failure is never the answer. Instead, learning from your mistakes is the best gift you can give yourself to improve not only whatever new invention, business venture or dream you undertake, but to evolve as individual, leader and innovator.

Musk learned from his own mistakes. He says:

“Constantly think about how you could be doing things better and questioning yourself.”

“The biggest lesson you can learn from Musk is to never, ever give up on your goals,” writes Bonnie Burton in an Inc Magazine article. “Life has a pesky way of placing big obstacles in your path — whether it be unmotivated employees, health emergencies, failed experiments, impostor syndrome and so many more unexpected roadblocks.”

References:

  1. https://www.goalcast.com/elon-musks-1-tactic-to-never-be-afraid-of-failure/
  2. https://www.inc.com/bonnie-burton/a-big-lesson-new-inventors-can-learn-from-elon-musks-mistakes.html

Thoughts of the Day

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Gratitude is a Super Power!

Gratitude is a choice, not just a feeling. You must choose to live a life in gratitude and therefore gratitude is an attitude and virtue. Gratitude is a virtue you choose to live your life by.

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of all virtues but the parent of all the others.” Cicero (106-43bc), Roman Philosopher

Angeles Arrien wrote: “The practice of offering gratitude bestows many benefits. Anger, arrogance, and jealousy melt in its embrace. Fear and defensiveness dissolve. Gratitude diminishes barriers to love and evokes happiness, keeping alive what has meaning for us.”

Gratitude is recognizing the fact that everything good that happens in your life is a gift. Not something we’re entitled to, or should expect, but actually a very sweet gift.

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” – Oprah Winfrey

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” ~Eckart Toll

“Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.”– Robert Collier

“Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.” -William Jennings Bryan

“Minimalism isn’t about removing the things you love. It’s about removing the things that distract you from the things you love.” ~Joshua Becker Over

“In every season of our life, we’re tempted to focus on our present burdens and miss the opportunities and blessings.

We love it when we receive the blessing, the promotion, the new house, the baby, but with the blessing comes new burdens, responsibilities, payments, cares.

Rather than enjoy where we are on the way to where we’re going, we get so caught up in the challenges that we miss the beauty of this moment.

You could be in one of the best seasons of your life, but you don’t realize it because you’re focused on the struggles, on what you don’t like, on what’s taking so long.

At some point you have to put your foot down and say, “This is the day the Lord has made”, and I will not allow my burdens to steal my joy, my peace and my enjoyment of my blessings.

Change your perspective and attitude. Shift your focus from life’s burdens to the blessings and opportunities, from what’s wrong to what’s right, from what you don’t have to what you have.

Make the most of abundant joy and peace every day.

“Being grateful all the time isn’t easy. But it’s when you least feel thankful that you are most in need of what gratitude can give you: perspective. Gratitude can transform any situation. It alters your vibration, moving you from negative energy to positive. It’s the quickest, easiest most powerful way to effect change in your life — this I know for sure.” ~ Oprah Winfrey

References:

  1. https://www.joelosteen.com/en-US/inspiration/todays-word/2021/03/21/20/06/Todays%20Blessings

Growing Your Gratitude

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“The single greatest thing you can do to change your life today would be to start being grateful for what you have right now. And the more grateful you are, the more you get.” — Oprah Winfrey

By cultivating a life of gratitude, you will be able to feel joy no matter what your circumstances are. As dark as things might seem, if you can dig deep and find something to be grateful for, your whole attitude can change.

According to an article in Psychology Today, “Scientists say that these techniques (focusing on gratitude) shift our thinking from negative outcomes to positive ones, elicit a surge of feel good hormones like dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin, and build enduring personal connections.”

Being grateful shouldn’t be reserved for those times when it’s easy to be grateful, either. Gratitude promotes life. It’s optimistic. Practical. It takes courage and brains to be grateful.

Gratitude clears the way for positive choice and change. It motivates and moves you into a higher place so you feel better. Hopeful. Strong.

When you appreciate things you’re kinder. Gratitude boosts you physically, mentally and emotionally.

Gratitude helps you build wealth

Nourishing yourself with gratitude makes you feel stronger, more alert and alive. It builds up and strengthens your entire body, mind and spirit.

Six strategic steps to fill up your gratitude account:

  1. Call it “intentional gratitude” or “conscious appreciation” but build a new habit of expressing gratitude frequently. It will make you feel fortunate, powerful and kind.
  2. Create a specific daily mantra for yourself — a prayer, wish, vow or commitment —
    ‘I am grateful for_______________’. Have it in your mind. Say it to people. Write it in notes and emails.
  3. “Thank you” takes one second to say. Consciously look to express it and do good things often. Don’t miss an opportunity to be grateful.
  4. Start a Daily Gratitude Journal – Write 3 things you’re grateful for every night before bed.
  5. How does gratitude live in the world? Look for examples in music, art, literature, daily life, history, people you see and know.
  6. Acknowledge negativity and counter it with genuine appreciation and thanks.

“Gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships…regardless of the inherent or current level of someone’s gratitude, it’s a quality that individuals can successfully cultivate further.”

References:

  1. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/grow-your-gratitude-six-easy-steps-for-smart-people_b_5760096
  2. https://www.aplanforjoyinthehome.com/grow-in-gratitude/
  3. https://www.seventeen.com/life/a37198250/gratitude-quotes/

Major Definite Purpose

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“A man without a definite major purpose is as helpless as a ship without a compass.” – Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill emphasized in his book “Think and Grow Rich” that the first step of learning how to “Think and Grow Rich” is figuring out what you desire more than anything else – and then coming up with a plan to act on it.

Hill puts a great importance on individuals deciding on a definite major purpose. Yet, it’s not unheard of for people to get stuck on this first step.

In fact, the #1 question that most ask is: “How do I determine what my definite major purpose is? I just don’t know what it is I want to do!”

It is said widely that ninety-five percent of the people of the world drift through life aimlessly without definite purposes for their lives.

Psychological reason for having a definite purpose in life implies that one’s actions are determined by the thoughts of one’s mind. Therefore, if you deliberately hold your definite purpose in your mind with the expectation of it realization, this will permeate your subconscious mind to the point where it will automatically influence the actions needed to achieve your definite purpose.

Once you determine your definite purpose, make sure that it is well-defined. You must write it down and place it where you can see it as soon as you open your eyes in the morning and the last thing that you see before you close your eyes at night.

What is your Life’s Mission? What is the number one purpose in your life? Why are you here? What are the most important accomplishments you desire? And what are you willing to give in return for them? 

What one great thing would you dare to dream if you knew you could not fail, asks Brian Tracy?

“If you could be absolutely guaranteed of successfully achieving any goal, large or small, short term or long term, what one goal would it be?  Whatever you answer to this question, if you can write it down, you can probably achieve it.  From then on, the only question you should ask is, ‘How?’  The only real limit is how badly you want it and how long you are willing to work toward it.” Brian Tracy

Once you know your bigger purpose, it’s easier to figure out your next actions.  And, when you know your bigger purpose, it can help you funnel your time, talent, energy, and effort into something that really matters to you.

Definite Purpose:

If you cannot see the end of the journey, you cannot plot the course to that destination.

Thus, it’s essential to determine “The one goal that is most important to you at the moment. It is usually the one goal that will help you to achieve more of your other goals than anything else you can accomplish,” Tracy writes. In his, “6 Attributes of Your Major Definite Purpose,” Tracy writes:

  1. Your major definite purpose must be something that you personally really want, excites you and makes you happy.
  2. Your major definite purpose must be clear and specific.  You must be able to define it in words and must be able to write it down.
  3. Your major definite purpose must be measurable and quantifiable.
  4. Your major definite purpose must be both believable and achievable.
  5. Your major definite purpose should have a reasonable probability of success.
  6. Your major definite purpose must be in harmony with your other goals and aligned with your values.

“Decide now what you desire from life and what you have to give in return.”

To achieve success, you have know exactly what you want and what you are willing to give-up in return….success and achievement are a two-way street.

References:

  1. https://sourcesofinsight.com/major-definite-purpose/
  2. https://www.mavericonsulting.com/news/2018/12/14/what-is-definiteness-of-purpose-and-why-is-it-so-importantnbsp
  3. https://thinkandgrowrichinstitute.com/definite-major-purpose/

Since 1937, over 120 million copies of Think & Grow Rich have been sold, and it’s the #1 book most people who have successfully built wealth credit with their success.

Failure has to be part of Growth

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Failure has to be part of growth.

“As a company grows, everything needs to scale, including the size of your failed experiments. If the size of your failures isn’t growing, you’re not going to be inventing at a size that can actually move the needle,” Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon wrote in his 2018 annual letter to shareholders.

This tolerance for failure is deeply ingrained in Amazon’s culture. It’s a point Bezos has made every year since the very first Amazon shareholder letter in 1997.

“We will continue to measure our programs and the effectiveness of our investments analytically, to jettison those that do not provide acceptable returns, and to step up our investment in those that work best. We will continue to learn from both our successes and our failures.”

References:

  1. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/22/jeff-bezos-why-you-cant-feel-bad-about-failure.html
  2. https://www.businessinsider.com/how-amazon-ceo-jeff-bezos-thinks-about-failure-2016-5

What is Success

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“You are the only one who knows whether you have won.” John Wooden

The best definition of success I’ve read was written by legendary UCLA men’s college basketball coach John Wooden who knew and achieved extraordinary success on the college basketball hardwood. His definition of success was:

“Success is peace of mind that is the direct result of Self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.”

As you can see from Coach Wooden’s perspective, each person is the only one who can ultimately determine his or her own success.

It’s up to you and every individual to become as good as you can become with your respective gifts and talents you’ve been given and in the environment you find yourself.

The author Napoleon Hill (Think and Grow Rich) dedicated his life and professional and career to understanding the work ethics and ethos of highly successful people like Thomas Edison and Henry Ford.

From his life’s work, Hill determined there were more than a dozen elements of success demonstrated by exceptional business and civic leaders that anyone can embrace and practice. A few of those elements are:

1. They have a definite aim in life.

Hill likens having just a vague aim to succeed to being a ship without a rudder. “Bear in mind that both your definite aim and your plan for attaining it may be modified form time to time… The important thing for you to do now is to learn the significance of working always with a definite aim in view, and always with a definite plan,” Hill writes.

2. They are self-confident.

To be capable of setting ambitious goals, you need to believe you can follow the plans to achieve them. And when you believe in yourself, others tend to believe in you as well.

3. They practice self-control.

Hill says that he did not start to become successful until he learned that he was working against himself whenever he gave into anger or arrogance. “No person ever became a great leader of others until he first learned to lead himself, through self-control,” he writes.

4. They are focused.

Successful people are able to concentrate their energy and skills toward specific goals without becoming distracted by irrelevant issues.

5. They are persistent.

Those who are able to achieve success are not stopped by the inevitable nonstop challenges and setbacks that are in their path to attaining their goals.

6. They are resilient.

“When you begin to realize that failure is a necessary part of one’s education, you will no longer look upon it with fear, and lo! the first thing you know, there will be no more failures!” Hill writes. “No person ever arose from the knockout blow of defeat without being a stronger and wiser human being in one respect or another.”

7. They work hard.

Hill says that this sounds simple enough, but it’s important to remember that even if you achieve your greatest goal, you need to continue pushing yourself or risk losing everything you worked for.

8. They are empathetic.

Hill’s favorite philosophical maxim is The Golden Rule, which states, “Treat others the way you would like to be treated.” He uses it as the final rung of the ladder to true success.

References:

  1. Wooden, John, and Carty, Jay, “Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success”‘, Revell Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI, 2015, pg. 12.
  2. https://www.businessinsider.com/the-magic-ladder-to-success-2014-8

Purpose in Life: Standing for Something

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“We have the vision, which is the what. We have the mission, which is the how. We have the purpose, which is the why.”

There is a well worn aphorism that goes, “If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything.” In other words, you must have a purpose for your life, or you’re likely to live aimlessly and to live a life without meaning.

To psychologists, purpose is “an abiding intention to achieve a long-term goals that is both personally meaningful and makes a positive mark on the world.” The goals and dreams that foster a sense of purpose are ones that can potentially change the lives of other people, like launching an organization, researching a disease, or teaching kids to read.

Your purpose will change over the course of your lifetime as your identity and responsibilities changes when going from teen into adulthood, and make the shift to retirement.

Like happiness, purpose is a journey and a practice. That means it’s accessible at any age, if you’re willing to explore what matters to you and what kind of person you want to be—and act to become that person.

If we’re able to revisit and renew our sense of purpose as we navigate milestones and transitions, suggests this research, then we can look forward to more satisfying, meaningful lives.

It’s imperative for young and old alike to know and embrace their purpose in life. By doing so, it gives life meaning and a mission. It gets you up out of bed in the morning and make your day joyful and rewarding when done with purpose.

Vision Mission Purpose

A vision (What) is where you are going or what you will become. It’s what the future looks like if goals and intentions are accomplished and laid out to be the driving force of how you define success. It is your destination at a point in the near or distant future. Vision defines your goal and sets the expectation of what you’ll experience when you arrive at the destination.

A mission (How) is an actionable vision statement — something that will give the vision legs and traction. It’s the what, who and why. It helps you define the immediate goals and helps you stay focused on the plan. It is the path you follow to arrive at your destination: When someone asks you where you are going, they ask you how you are going to get there. Your mission is the how: the unique way you do what you do, the path you choose to follow, the decisions you make to get to your destination.

Purpose (Why) is your sense and feeling of resolve or determination. It’s your why for you are doing the work you are doing. What great problem are you solving, or what movement are you championing? It’s your why do you show up. It is the reason you began the journey, guided by the deeply-held values and beliefs that inspire it to make a difference.

Your purpose is the reason you exists beyond making money. And, once you know your purpose, you know what fulfills and completes you.

Purpose focuses on three elements:

  • Why do you believe you can make a difference? — Purpose needs a reason.
  • How do you achieve? — Purpose needs a plan.
  • What will it look like when you achieve it? — Purpose needs vision.

If you’re creating or evaluating your mission statement, substitute the words Why, How, and What for Purpose, Mission, and Vision. These substitutions will help you minimize any confusion between the terms and what they mean.

  • Purpose guides you. Your purpose articulates the why you do what you do, why you exists beyond making money.
  • Mission drives you. Your mission statement is how you accomplish your purpose. Your mission is what drives you every day to fulfill your purpose. It’s a direct path between your purpose and vision. Mission is doing what matters and eliminating the distractions; it activates the strategy that delivers results and impact.
  • Vision is where you aspire to be. Your vision statement is what you will experience and achieve in the future, the results you are reaching for, the measurable impact you want to make. Your vision reminds you what the difference you make will look like and what change will happen. Vision aligns leaders and followers. Vision keeps you on course, to fulfill your purpose.

Vision is the picture. Mission is the road map to get there. Purpose is the feeling that you have when you accomplish what you set out to do. For example, here is a life purpose that might resonate:

“My life purpose, to love and honor God, is foundational. My professional purpose is to be a ‘Builder’ of a future that transcends ways of working for the wellbeing of people and businesses throughout the world.” –Miles Everson, Former Vice Chairman, PwC US

Your mission is your vision in action, connecting your purpose. Here are a few additional examples of purpose statements:

  1. I want to instill in others the self-love and confidence that gives them the self-efficacy to excel and make their dreams come true.
  2. To live each day to the fullest and appreciate, as well as learn and grow from every experience.
  3. To achieve the education required to serve the purpose God intended for me. With that education, I will give back to society generously, and remarkably leave the world in some concrete way better than it was before my contribution.
  4. To be a father who raises sons to be caring, loving, respectful, responsible men, protective of their loved ones, and daughters to be caring, loving, respectful, responsible women who know their value and will not compromise it.

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett says, “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” Once you have clear and meaningful purpose, vision and mission, you’re better able to focus your attention on what’s most important and what you value the most in life. And, you learn to say “no” to everything else.

References:

  1. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/purpose/definition
  2. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/03/04/vision-mission-and-purpose-the-difference/?sh=113e4e70280e
  3. https://www.aespire.com/blog/communications/the-difference-between-your-purpose-and-mission
  4. https://zety.com/blog/personal-mission-statement
  5. https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-wise-lessons-what-i-wish-i-knew-when-i-was-younger.html

Believe in yourself.

You are often your own worst critic, and so can you be your own best supporter. If you do not have confidence in your own value, abilities and contribution, then nobody else will either. You must have faith in your intrinsic worth. We each have something to offer that is necessary and valuable, though we may not know what that something is.

You do not have to be able to see the end zone. Just because you aren’t able to visualize where you might go and how you might succeed, that doesn’t mean it will not happen. And just because you may have made mistakes does not mean that you can’t achieve your goals in the future. You can do far more than you can imagine if only you believe you can.