Thought - Thoughts - Goals
Within your body resides a powerful mind and the way that you use your 1.4 kilograms of grey matter will make a major difference in how your life works out.
Whilst it’s true that wise men and great philosophers have disagreed about many things throughout the ages, they are in unanimous agreement on this, “We are what we think.”
The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius said; “Our life is what our thoughts make of it.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson believed, “We are what we think about all day long.”
In fact, you’re not what you think you are but what you think is what you are.
The reality is in five years time you will become somebody. The question is who? In ten years time you will arrive... But where?
It all depends on the people you meet and the books that you read.
I love that phrase made so very popular to an army of aspiring professionals by the late Charlie T. Jones.
You will be the same person you are today in five years time except for the people you meet and the books that you read.
The people you meet
In a negative sense your associations may hold you back or even lead you astray. Unfortunately, if you lay down with the dogs you’re gonna wake up with flees!
What can you do about it?
Disassociation In some instances disassociation may be a good call. In extreme conditions it may even save your life!
Limited Association While disassociation is a last resort, if you’re losing too much productive time hanging out with certain people, culling that time spend may prove to be the best move.
Yes it’s true, we have to spend time with some people but we don’t have to spend massive amounts of time with them.
Expanded Association The best way to benefit from the power of associations is to spend time with people who will inspire and encourage you.
Find mentors and role models. Get on their case.
How do they walk? How do they talk? Success leaves clues!
When you get around the right people you’ll start to catch their attitudes (attitudes are contagious) and you’ll start to mirror their behaviours (It’s monkey see monkey do).
The laws of success are universal. If they work for one they work for all so become a success detective, study and observe successful people.
The books that you read
Just as there are vitamins for the body, the right books, blue rays and live meetings can energise and nourish your soul.
One of the challenges we face when trying to find the right people to hang with is, often times, we can’t always just walk on in.
Those at the tops levels such as the very best personal fitness instructors or the savviest financial gurus are normally booked out!
Thankfully they can still mentor us as we read their books and gain valuable insight and wisdom. I know a number of mentors I’ve never met.
In just one year reading 20 minutes a day at the average reading pace of an average reader you will have read 15 books. Think of the positive impact achieving this goal could make in your life.
Another important aspect under the mental area is that of mental health.
Stress, pressure, chronic fatigue, burn out, exhaustion and breakdowns can be avoided. While relaxation should not be an objective, it is a necessity.
A long forgotten wise man once said:
Sow a thought, reap a word, sow a word, reap an act, sow an act reap a habit, sow a habit reap a character, sow a character and we reap a destiny.”
So true hey? Everything starts with a thought.
Here are a few mental triggers that may inspire you to create SMART Goals in the mental development area of your life.
- How about limiting the amount of television that you currently watch to just one hour per day.
- Do you need to eliminate a negative thought process or habit?
- How about spending 15 minutes a day in a creative thought production?
- How many positive and/or inspirational books about people who’ve succeeded are you going to read over the next 6 to 12 months?
- Who do you need to associate or disassociate with?