Here’s a fun challenge: Only think about what you want. (I’ve read so many books and listened to so many audio programs that I really don’t remember where that idea came from.) It’s an interesting experiment, and it’s not as easy as it sounds.
For practice, keep this in mind: Everything we are against weakens us. Everything we are for empowers us. As part of our bold experiment, let’s also think and speak only in terms of what we are for, what we want. Don’t you hear enough people talking about what they hate and what’s wrong with the world?
It’s not sticking our heads in the sand, far from it. It’s pulling our heads out of the sand and wising up to the way things work. You do not change your opinions or your values; you simply reframe things in terms of what you are for, what you love.
For example: We don’t hate ignorance, we love education. We are not against poverty, we are for prosperity.
One of the many good reasons for adopting this approach is that we actually get better results. Who are you more likely to listen to and support, someone who’s always down in the mouth, angrily telling you what they hate or someone who is positive and has a plan for making things better?
Another what’s-in-it-for-me is that this way of thinking and speaking gives us more energy. Remember: what we are against weakens us, drains our energy. What we are for empowers us, gives us more energy—physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally.
Is it easy? Few worthwhile things ever are, but the payoff is powerful. After a while, you’ll start to catch yourself and make corrections. “I hate potholes! Wait, let me rephrase that: I love smooth roads.” Then you’ll notice and catch yourself in mid-sentence, then in mid-thought.
Don’t take my word for it. Try it for an hour. Try it for a day…a week…a decade and see if it doesn’t make a noticeable difference in the way you feel and in the results you get.
I know where this next notion came from. It’s from Earl Nightingale. If you will, take 3 minutes and 8 seconds to watch this: http://www.thestrangestsecretmovie.com. Then spend the rest of your life applying it.
Bonus Earl Nightingale quote: Life is dull only to dull people.
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