We are what we think!

If you have read my articles or heard me speak, you know that I place great emphasis on positive action. You will never get results without action. To be a good leader and have any level of success, we need to focus on those activities that produce the greatest amount of results. This being true, our success depends on whether or not those results are positive or negative.

However, our success starts long before our actions. In fact, our success begins in our minds.

The simple truth is that our thoughts become actions and actions produce results. So the equation starts with the thoughts going on in our mind. The key to having success starts with the control of the thoughts that we have. Good thoughts become good actions, which become good results. The opposite is true, as well.

“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7).” We are truly what we think. It is impossible for us live responsibly and walk in success unless we choose to think positive, successful thoughts.

Positive thinking must become a way of life. With a positive attitude, we experience pleasant and happy feelings. This brings brightness to our eyes, we have more energy, and we experience more happiness. Our life broadcasts our good will, happiness, and success.

In fact, researchers also say that even our health is affected in a beneficial way as a result of our positive thoughts. Scientific researchers call it the placebo and nocebo effect. Scientific studies show that while the placebo effect demonstrates the power of positive thinking, expectation, hope, and nurturing care, the nocebo effect demonstrates the physiological effects of negative belief, fear, anxiety, and what Martin Seligman, the Director of the Penn Positive Psychology Center and Zellerbach Family Professor of Psychology in the Penn Department of Psychology, terms “learned helplessness.”

These negative emotions trigger the amygdala in the limbic brain to send out a red alert that activates the “fight-or-flight” stress response. When the nervous system is in “fight-or-flight,” the body’s self-repair mechanisms don’t function properly and the body is predisposed to illness. All because you thought yourself sick.

What we think also affect others. Our positive and negative thinking are contagious. We affect, and are affected by the people we meet in one way or another. This happens instinctively and on a subconscious level through words, thoughts and feelings, and through body language. Is it any wonder that we want to be around positive people, and prefer to avoid negative ones?

People are more disposed to help us if we are positive, and they dislike and avoid us if we are broadcasting negativity.

If we do not have the right thoughts and the right frame of mind, we will stay stuck with negative results. Our mind literally controls the kind of results we get. Therefore, we have to choose how we think.

It may sound simple, but it’s not. Simply choosing to think positive is not as simple as it sounds. There is this predicament we have as humans. It is this “battle” we have with our thoughts. Thoughts of depression, thoughts failure, and thoughts of fear constantly creep into our minds and cause us to act in certain ways that are going to produce the opposite of the kind of results we need. Over the years our minds have become conditioned to certain ways of thinking. If we have conditioned ourselves to think negative, our thinking usually does not produce success.

Our negative thoughts, words, and attitudes create negative and unhappy feelings, moods, and behaviors. When the mind is negative, the poisons are released into the blood, which cause more unhappiness and negativity. This is the way that leads to failure, frustration, and disappointment.

How do we win the battle over our thoughts? Here are a few main points.

• Guard your mind. Your mind is a very precious thing. If you had a storehouse of gold in your house, you would hire an armed guard to stand watch and keep all the bad guys out. Yet, many of us let any old thing come into our minds. We need to keep the bad thoughts, the negative thoughts from even entering our mind. Now when I say this, I mean both the ones that start in our heads and the ones that come from external sources.

• Proactively place good thoughts in your head. Just like a garden, where you weed, or pull the bad stuff out, and plant, put the good stuff in, so we do the same thing with our thoughts.

• Avoid the naysayers. They are all around you. Be careful; they will steal your dream. You work with them, you live near them; some may even be in your family! Whatever you do, do not let them affect you with their negative thoughts. Spend as little time as you can with them.

• Act on the positive thoughts you do have. When a positive thought comes into your head, act on it! This will begin to produce a “bridge” between what you think and how you act! As you practice this, the transition even from negative to the positive gets easier as time goes by.

How do you win the battle going on that limits your success? These four key ideas will help you win the thought battle. When we do, we will walk taller, our voice will be more powerful, and our body language will communicate our confidence. The Charisma will attract others as we step forward in positive leadership.

Attitude Is Everything

When I was president of a large manufacturing company I used to have weekly meetings with my staff. Sometimes I would start the meeting by asking, “What attitude are you bringing to this meeting?” Without the right attitude, usually very little is accomplished. At first when I asked the question, I saw mostly puzzled looks. Generally, people do not have much awareness of their attitude or realize how it affects their ability to think rationally or creatively. It affects how they think and how they communicate and work with others. Until there was an attitude adjustment, it was a mistake for me to continue the meeting. It was a waste of time and energy.

In his book “Attitude Is Everything,” Jeff Keller describes his findings after researching why some people are successful while others only have disappointing results. His main conclusion after interviewing hundreds of people is that having the positive, right attitude makes all the difference. It governs the way we perceive the world and the way the world perceives us. It causes us to take full advantage of our opportunities or brings about self-doubt and limits our abilities.

In my guide “Say “Yes” To Your Potential,” (you can download it free at www.sayyes2u.com) I talk about how we make ourselves a P.O.T. (Prisoner of Thought) and how we stay locked behind bars of fear, embarrassment, tradition, social pressure, bad habits, and just playing it safe. It is a prison of our own making and it keeps us captive as sure as a heavily guarded federal prisoner. Attitude is the main ingredient in forming our belief system, and our belief system regulates who we believe we are and what we believe we can accomplish.

Years ago I was involved in conducting seminars and selling training materials written by Paul J. Meyer. This was a man who was a great motivation to me. Whenever Paul entered a room he took over the room with his energy and enthusiasm. Paul felt that there was no goal or obstacle too big. And he had this belief that whenever he would enter into a business or home to prospect or do business, he would imagine the red carpet being rolled out with trumpeters. He would imagine that the prospect couldn’t wait to do business with him and be his friend. He had this sort of attitude about everything and because of that attitude and expectation, his world sort of aligned itself with him. It was not just in business but it was in all areas of his life.

Personally, I do not find it easy to have this attitude and exude this type of confidence. I have to work at it. My personality is reserved. It is natural for me to assess people and situations, take charge, give commands, and get things done. Many times this rubs people the wrong way. This is why I have to consciously take charge of my own attitudes and how I deal with people and situations. When I do, my attitude changes and people are drawn to me for counseling and help with their business and getting their life back on track.

How do we this? How do we take charge of our attitude and bring it under control? I believe that it has several aspects, which help me to develop and have the right attitudes. It is not a one time thing. It takes practice and it takes developing the habit of thinking in the right way. Until we do, we cannot take control of our lives and unleash our incredible potential.

Here are my top 10 ways to develop right attitudes about ourselves, our world, and our life.

1. We have to develop a proper attitude about how we view our world, situation, and those around us. Do we see things positively or negatively? Is the glass half full or half empty? A positive attitude helps us cope more easily with the affairs of life. It brings optimism and makes it easier for us to avoid worry. When we adopt a positive attitude, we experience constructive changes and it brings more happiness and success.

2. We have to develop a genuine care and interest in others. This is a servant leader’s point of view. Do we seek out ways to serve and be a help to those around us? Do we consciously look for needs and find ways that we can meet that need? This servant leadership philosophy and set of practices enriches the lives of individuals, builds better organizations and ultimately creates a more just and caring world.

3. We have to develop the belief that we are a human magnet that causes people to be drawn to us. Tony Jeary, Mr. Presentation, says that “life is a series of presentations” and we must see ourselves making an inspiring and encouraging presentation whenever we encounter others. This also has to do with being a confident leader. Do people see us as a leader and want to follow us? What qualities of leadership do we have or need to develop? Ask yourself, “Would I be drawn to me?” If not, we have to learn how to develop those qualities of effective leadership that we are lacking. The more effective our leadership, the more people are drawn to us. 

4. We have to develop a commitment to what we set out to do. We need skills to succeed, but we can learn new skills – in fact a positive attitude will make it much more likely that we will learn the new skills and develop confidence. Whether we are committed to learn a new skill or accomplish some other task, we have to attack our responsibilities with great effort and with our whole heart and overcome any obstacle that gets in our way. A halfhearted commitment is no commitment at all. Commitment is like being pregnant; you either are, or you are not. If you are not able to commit to something, it is better to limit your time to what you can be committed to do. Being over committed brings about negative thinking. Developing good controls of our time energizes us and brings positive outcomes.

5. We have to develop the right perspective. Do we see problems, or do with see opportunities in our challenges? We can’t be brought down by the obstacles and situations in our life. We have to see these as opportunities for our personal growth and development. Ask yourself, “What am I suppose to learn through all of this?” This is what experience is all about. With experience, we see things differently. The more we learn about people, life, and circumstances, the better perspective we have. We must develop the attitude that we are not controlled by our circumstances, but rather make wise choices that takes away worry and regret.

6. We have to develop the ability to communicate effectively. Does what we say and how we say it communicate the true meaning in our heart? Our words blaze a path for our life. Our words create and have the power of life or death to situations and people around us. We have to learn how to create life, not death to ideas and circumstances in our life. As leaders we are called upon to communicate the vision, goals, and action plans. Without clarity in our own minds, how will we communicate effectively? We have to develop communications, which bring positive results instead of negative feelings.

7. We have to develop the right attitude about failure. We don’t truly fail until we stop trying. Success is merely a series of failures, analysis, adjustments, and retries. We persist to the very end. Many people are stopped in their tracks because of their fear of failure. Without the right attitude about failure, we will stay in our comfort zone. Outside our comfort zone is where innovation and great achievements are accomplished. Resisting to move outside our comfort zone brings about negative emotions and doubt.

8. We have to develop a positive support system. Do you have a mentor or coach? Every winning team has a good coach. If you want to win, you need to have a good coach to encourage you and help you exceed your own self-imposed limitations. Who are you hanging around with? Do they build you up, encourage you, inspire you to be better, or do they feed your negative thoughts? Winners run with winners. Losers run with other losers. The people in our world will define the positive or negative way we see it.

9. We have to develop a conscious effort of networking and being involved with others. Networking in the right circles gets us the results we need. There are at least five main benefits of networking. 1) Opportunity to share knowledge with others. I learn something new every time I am networking with others. 2) We become advised of new opportunities and we get great ideas. 3) Exposure to others and making valued connections. This is where winners meet winners. 4) By pushing ourselves to meet new people, we increase our confidence. 5) Being visible and getting noticed raises our profile in the mind of others. All of these things help us to maintain positive attitudes.

10. We have to develop a ritual of seeking divine inspiration and wisdom. By ritual, I mean making it a habit of tapping into sources of spiritual wisdom and inspiration. By reading books on leadership and success and listening to those we respect and who have blazed the trail before us, we become inspired and motivated to be better. Personally, in my quite time, I also find that music and the Bible are great sources for me.

A positive attitude is never automatic; we have to work at it. Having and maintaining a positive attitude is vital for our success in life and in business. Zig Ziglar got it right when he said, “It is your attitude, not your aptitude, that determines your altitude.”

A positive attitude – optimism, expectancy, and enthusiasm – will make everything in business and in our life easier. A positive attitude is a stimulus that will pick us up when we are down and energizes us when we are engaged in an activity.

I invite to visit my website at www.life-success-resources.com. Examine the things that bring you down and has a negative impact on your attitudes. Write them down and take an honest look at how you can get back on track. Let me help.

Blessings and Abundance,

Ron Jobe

 

 

Being Filled With Purpose

In the Sower’s Seed, Brian Cavanaugh tells the story of how Sir Edmund Hillary was the first man to climb Mount Everest. On May 29,1953, Hillary climbed 29,000 feet straight up. At that time Mount Everest was the highest mountain that we knew about. He received many honors because of his accomplishment, including being knighted by the Queen. He even had the opportunity to make several American Express Credit Card commercials. However, until we read his book, High Adventure, we don’t understand that Hillary had to grow into this success.

You see, this was not his first time to try. In 1952, he attempted to climb the mountain, but failed. A few weeks later, an organizational group in England asked him to address its members. He walked on stage to a thunderous applause because the audience was recognizing him for his attempt at greatness. However, Edmund Hillary did not see that he had accomplished anything. He saw himself as a failure.

With this going through his mind, he moved away from the microphone and walked to the edge of the platform. He made a fist and pointed at a picture of the mountain on the wall. He said in a loud voice, “Mount Everest, you beat me the first time, but I’ll beat you the next time because you’ve grown all you are going to grow…but I’m still growing!”

The world likes to see someone with determination, desire, and willingness to do the impossible. The world makes room for a person of purpose. When a person with purpose speaks, their words and actions demonstrate that they know where they are going and people want to follow a leader.

We are built to conquer circumstances, solve problems, and attain goals. This is our destiny. We will find no real satisfaction or happiness in life without obstacles to conquer, goals to achieve, and a purpose to accomplish. Life is an arena and we are the warriors. We have to fight for what is ours and we have overcome anything that gets in our way.
 
But, maybe you don’t see yourself in that way. Maybe you see yourself as a slave, not as a master. As soon as you resign yourself to this attitude and leave your future to luck, your resignation to the consequences is promptly accepted. If your method is “hit or miss,” you’ll usually miss. “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t–you’re right.” ― Henry Ford. You are who you say you are and you will conquer what you set out to conquer. Of course, that is if you have purpose, desire, and willing to persevere through the obstacles in your way. But, if you are afraid to even get in game, you are sure to lose.

Don’t be the type of person who doesn’t know where you’re going. The truth is you are on your way to somewhere, nonetheless. Know where you want to be. You must set the course, man the wheel, fight the waves, and reach your goal.

Growth for the sake of growth is meaningless. There are three types of people. The loser looks back. The wanderer looks around, but the winner looks forward. Go forward with definite purpose. With purpose, you can choose positive actions every day that will help you feel contented and fulfilled, and that will help you feel hopeful and excited to get up every morning.

Once your purpose is clear, decisions will jump at you. As W. Clement Stone said, “When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand up on you because it will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it.”
 
People say they want riches, but what they really need is fulfillment of a purpose. I’m encouraged by George Elliott, who said, “It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” In your heart there is a sleeping lion called purpose. Awake and roar.

I invite you to visit my website at: http://www.life-success-resources.com. Register for immediate access to my free guide on how to say “yes” to your full potential. If you want to talk, call me at 866-801-8387.

Freedom Of Choice

Everything is out there waiting for you. All you have to do is walk up and declare yourself in. No need for permission. You just need courage to say, “Include me.” Providing you have the energy to pull it off, you can do what you like. And the Universal Law, being impartial, will be only too delighted to deliver. – Stuart Wilde, British writer.

In 1983 I had a decision to make. The company I worked for was being acquired by another company and consolidated into one very large organization. In order to keep that paycheck, I would have to uproot my family, move to a different city, and take a lesser position than the one I had. Or, I could leave that company, start over working for another, or start my own business, consulting small and medium-size companies in the area of human resources and organizational development. I chose to become an entrepreneur and start my own company. That choice set the direction of my life.

Making a choice to become an entrepreneur represents one of the ways that we can enabled the act of Choosing Yourself. Seth Godin, American author, marketer, and public speaker talks about it. James Altucher wrote a book on it, and all the successful entrepreneurs, visionaries, and outstanding performers live by it. Choosing yourself is the simple act of taking responsibility for yourself, your accomplishments, your work, and your future. It’s about not waiting, hoping, or wishing to be selected for a job, a team, or a school. It’s about picking yourself, facing your fears, and with persistence and determination go to work.

What is your aim in life? How do you see the latest version of yourself? Your aim in life should be to become the very best that you can be. Do you see yourself as you really are, or do you see yourself in comparison to others? Why do we consistently compare ourselves against others? Why do we look at people who are 3, 5, or even 10 years ahead of us in business and in life and get completely dejected that ‘we’re not there yet’ or that we fall way short in comparison?

That’s like comparing yourself with Richard Branson, one of Britain’s most high-profile billionaires with his current empire worth billions instead of the Richard Branson who was a college student trying to make a magazine come to life and getting loans from his mother.

We will always come up ridiculously short in our comparisons. That is a game for losers to play, but winners choose not to do it. You can’t even begin to know what’s behind another person’s journey and what it took for them to get to where they are.

Of course, you can learn from others, and emulate the great things they do, just as long as you don’t try to measure up against them.

It’s a choice. We can choose to have faith in ourselves, overcome the roadblocks and obstacles in our life, and create our own future, or we can choose to sit around comparing ourselves to others and wishing that our life was different. We have the freedom to choose to see ourselves and work on our own strengths. We also have the freedom to choose to see our weaknesses in an unfair comparison against others. We are free to choose our own destiny or stop in our tracks because we don’t feel that we measure up. We have the freedom to choose the road less traveled or allow our fears to cause us to keep company with the average.

We have the freedom of choice. In my article, “Finding Confidence to Succeed For Business Owners”, published by Ezine Articles, (http://EzineArticles.com/8369667), I talked about the fact that successful entrepreneurs must build a workable self-confidence.

The mind is a funny thing. It’s one of the best things we as humans have going for us, and yet it’s where our greatest battles are fought: negative vs. positive, hate vs. love, disappointment vs. hope, action vs. inaction… The mind can produce a lasting impression in a moment’s time, but at other times it can wrestle with issues for weeks or months – even years – before coming to rest on a conclusion.

The battles of indecision are often a sign of another battle going on: fear vs. confidence. To win the battle of the mind, we have to train our minds to think correctly. Thinking correctly is exercising our freedom of choice and choosing to say “yes” to creating a different and wonderful future for ourselves.

Why do most people live as average? Many do not realize that they are making that choice. They think that they are living the best they can under their circumstances. And that’s the problem. They don’t realize that their circumstances are a result of their past choices.

We have the freedom to choose to not be under the circumstances, but be on top of them. So, you can simply take responsibility for yourself, your accomplishments, your work, and your future. It’s about saying “yes” to yourself, facing your fears, and with persistence and determination go to work to create a different tomorrow. We can choose to keep living an average lifestyle without financial security, or we can choose a life of financial freedom.

What’s hold you back? What is keeping you from making a different choice? Go to http://www.sayyes2u.com and register to get my free guide to saying “yes” to your full potential and begin to choose your own destiny. Live the life you deserve.