They once asked Bruce Lee, the famous martial arts movie star,
his opinion on negative thoughts. He said, ?Negative thoughts
are like weeds in your garden. You must pull them out by the
roots and destroy them.?
You can?t think negative thoughts and expect a positive outcome.
In my book, ?Masters of Motivation,? I share information from
James Allen who wrote the masterpiece, ?As a Man Thinketh.? (By
man, Allen meant both man and woman.) Allen stated that thinking
negative thoughts and expecting a positive outcome was similar
to planting apple seeds and expecting tomatoes.
It sounds silly that someone would plant apple seeds and expect
a tomato, but that is what people do with their thoughts all the
time. They plant seeds of negativity and doubt and then expect
success and happiness.
It won?t work. Why? Because it?s a Universal Law. By that I mean
that everything in the Universe abides by specific laws. This
particular Universal law is called Cause and effect. (For more
detailed information on the Law of Cause and Effect and its
importance to your life, go to
http://www.bobgarner.com/thoughtpower.html.)
Planting apple seeds is the cause; the effect will be an apple
tree. Planting seeds of negativity in your mind is the cause;
the effect is a negative experience.
If you think you won?t get the raise, you won?t. If you think
that you won?t make the sale, you won?t. If you think that you
will never be able to drive the car of your dreams or live in
the house you desire, you won?t.
However, if you think that you will get the raise, make the
sale, or get that dream car, you eventually will. If you think
the right thoughts.
Here is an exercise that I share in my workshops and in my new
audio CD, ?10 Steps To Help You Bring Your Desires To Reality.?
It?s called, ?Think About What You Think About.? The focus of
this exercise is on helping you become the master of your
thought activity.
1. Look for the patterns of thought or self-talk that has become
habitual, as you think about your goal or interact with others.
For example, when you are criticized by others or when others
give you their negative opinion about your desires or goals -
what thoughts automatically come into your mind?
Do you rationalize by saying, ?They really didn?t mean it? or
?I?ll pretend I didn?t hear that comment.?
Do you counter-attack by stating, ?I must be right, because I
know they?re wrong!?
Do you feel sorry for yourself and cry, ?Why did they say that??
or ?No one ever likes what I do.?
2. Now ask yourself:
?Are my reactions of my own choosing or am I responding as I was
taught??
?Am I defending who I am by justifying what I did??
?Is my response to always protect myself??
List some of the negative opinions or criticisms of others that
you can remember. List some of the negative thoughts that you
give yourself, when you think about your goals or desires.
Write these thoughts down. Now write what you would normally say
in response either to others or yourself.
Examine your responses. Undoubtedly, many will be automatic
responses based on your past. It?s time to put away the past and
deal with the present and move on to a glorious future. To do
that, determine if you need to modify your responses so that you
can react in a more positive way.
By listening to the working of our minds, we begin to live at a
level above the automatic reaction of previous programming. We
now live at a place of conscious choosing. Making our own
choices requires a dedication to the uniqueness of self. It is
assuming mastery over one?s own life. It is living in the NOW.
About the author:
Bob Garner is the author of "Masters of Motivation" and a new
book called, ?ESP ? Untap Your Psychic Potential.? The creator
of a number of CDs that have empowered thousands, Bob writes for
numerous business magazines and speaks extensively worldwide on
motivation and success. Sign up now for his free monthly
newsletter called "Personal Success" at
http://www.bobgarneronline.com.
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