Change Your Thinking Change Your Life
Posted by: 247wealthcreation in Personal Development, tags: Change your thinking change your life, positive thinking, positive thoughts, power of positive thinking, Susan JeffersChange Your Thinking Change Your Life
Change your thinking change your life. It all sounds so simple. It isn’t. Changing your thinking requires discipline and practice but the rewards for the effort you put in, will be enormous. It will change your life.
One of the best quotes that demonstrates the power that change your thinking change your life represents is:
“If you sow a thought you reap an act; If you sow an act you reap a habit; If you sow a habit you reap a character; If you sow a character you reap a destiny.“ – Buddhist Proverb
If You Sow A Thought You Reap An Act
Change your thinking change your life is a mantra that most of us would have heard at some point in our life. We probably understand that our thoughts determine the actions we take, but how many of us actually grasp the power of positive thinking?
I found an exercise in the book, “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway” by Susan Jeffers that perfectly illustrates the power of positive thinking.
Susan gets a volunteer to stand in front of her, with their arms outstretched and each hand clenched into a fist. Susan tells the volunteer that she is going to try and push their arms down and they are to try and resist with all of their might. Susan can’t push their arms down.
Next, Susan tells the volunteer to think of a negative statement and repeat it over and over in their mind. Again, Susan tells the volunteer to resist. What do you think happens this time? Susan easily pushes the volunteer’s arms down.
Susan repeats the exercise alternating each time between getting the volunteer to think positive thoughts repeatedly and negative thoughts repeatedly. Susan can never push the volunteer’s arms down when they’re thinking positive thoughts, but can always push the volunteer’s arms down when they’re thinking negative thoughts. This very simple exercise highlights the power of positive thinking and the change your thinking change your life ideology.
Change your thinking change your life is more than just the power of positive thinking. It’s easy to think positively when everything is going right but at some point we all have to confront the negative thoughts that threaten to derail our best intentions. I feel that negative thoughts are such a big part of the change your thinking change your life ideology that they deserve an in-depth look at how to deal with them effectively. I will discuss this in a future post.
If You Sow An Act You Reap A Habit
So, how does change your thinking change your life work? Positive thinking will bring about positive actions and the more you repeat these positive actions the more likely it is that they will become a habit.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle
How can we turn positive actions into a healthy habit?
- Choose the habit that you would like to create
- Set goals (It can take 3 weeks to a month to create a habit)
- Write your goals down
- Give your goals a deadline
- Write down a plan of how you will create the new habit
- Follow your plan and be consistent (We are what we repeatedly do)
- Be realistic (Allow for times when life may get in the way)
- Celebrate each small success
Change Your Thinking Change Your Life
Changing your life all starts with changing your thinking. When you change your thinking, you start to change the way you act. When you repeatedly change the way you act, you create a habit.
In my next post I will discuss the final two elements of the Buddhist proverb. I hope this post helps you to understand the power of the mantra change your thinking change your life.
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February 16th, 2010 at 5:46 pm
The way we habitually think has its own momentum. Like a car. Changing the way we habitually think is like a car changing direction. If the car is going too fast and the turn it makes too sharp then chaos beckons. The solution is to keep focusing on the road ahead, where you want to go. If you focus on the tree you will hit the tree.
Wal Heinrich´s last blog ..Genetically Modified Foods – Are They Worth the Risk?
February 16th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
Hi Wal,
You are so right. You need to be really clear about where you want to go in order to achieve your goals. Keep moving forward, Wal.
February 16th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
This is the second time in a week that I’ve seen reference to Susan Jeffers book. I’ve had it for about 6 months, just not started it yet. It looks like these references are too much of a coincidence, so I’m going to read it next.
Thanks for the reminder!
Matthew Needham´s last blog ..You never know what a blog will lead to
February 17th, 2010 at 8:05 am
Hi Matthew,
Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway is an awesome book. It’s a book that I read and re-read. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Have a great day,
Jazz
February 17th, 2010 at 5:55 pm
Hi Jazz
Thanks for the Buddhist quote. They’re always so good, aren’t they?
I think I first heard about Susan Jeffers and her book from Jack Canfield. I’ve learned to take my fears as a good thing. Especially when they’re mixed up with excitement. Usually a good sign that I’m onto something. The more and more I read, learn and listen to others about developing a strong mindset, the more I want to work on it. It’s just so fundamental to everything….
Thanks for sharing your take on things and for informing us about the Jeffers book. Keep up the great work Jazz.
Lina
Lina Nguyen´s last blog ..Whinging: How to stop it.
February 17th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
Hi Lina,
Susan Jeffers has written such a fantastic book in ‘Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway’. I think a certain amount of fear can be healthy for you. I equate the amount of fear that I feel with how much I am challenging myself to do more, achieve more and be more.
I hope to see you come back to read the second part, Lina.
Jazz
February 18th, 2010 at 5:41 am
Hi Jazz,
Speaking of thought, I’ve discovered this interesting little thing. I find that you will act differently if you set your goals with a short deadline versus setting a goal with a long deadline.
For example, if you want to become a millionaire in 30 years, that probably won’t motivate you very much. However, if you want to be a millionaire in 5 years (or even, make 100,000 in 3 years) then your whole mindset changes. You begin to work faster and make different decisions. It’s pretty interesting.
Eric ´s last blog ..A New Offer For You
February 18th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Hi Eric,
I agree. You need a series of small goals to use as stepping stones to reach larger goals. If you celebrate the success each time you achieve a small goal; it will help keep you on track to reach your big goals.
February 20th, 2010 at 6:31 am
Fear is paralyzing. One of the ways I resist the fear is to tell myself that the fear is a signal that what I want to do is the right thing because I am pushing beyond where I am comfortable. If I have no fear then I am not going anywhere. It doesn’t always mean that I am going in the right direction but it usually gives me a new perspective and goal anyway.
Ralph´s last blog ..Do you want to be remarkable?
February 20th, 2010 at 8:15 pm
I am also a big fan of Susan Jeffers book and have read it many times when I am facing life’s inevitable changes.
Looking forward to reading your next post.
Lizzy´s last blog ..Inspirational People – Tony Christiansen
February 20th, 2010 at 9:22 pm
Hi Ralph,
I totally agree because it’s the same for me. If I’m not feeling any fear then I know for sure, I’m not moving forward or challenging myself enough.
It takes a little getting used to recognizing fear as a positive feeling that means you’re moving in the right direction. Once you do though, fear can be the best thing.
February 20th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
Hi Lizzy,
“Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway” is an awesome book. It’s definitely one of my all-time favorite books.
February 24th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Fear is such a powerful emotion, which is sometimes so hard to control, so looking at fear in a positive way changes how you think and feel about a situation, i like it : )
BelindaO´s last blog ..The Power of Website Competition Analysis
February 25th, 2010 at 11:20 am
Hi Belinda,
Yes, fear is a very powerful motivator. I just accept that fear is a feeling I will always have to some extent in my life and the more times I overcome it; the better my life will be.
Can you think of a time when you felt afraid, did whatever it was you were afraid of, and felt such exhilaration at overcoming the fear?
February 27th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Hi Jazz
Great reading and really love your quote. What a fantastic way to start your article. I have found in my life that every change of direction has hit the accelerator button for more life experiences. Depending upon my perception at the time is to how I react to the changes. Always upon reflection there is a positive as we truly are all very fortunate.
Looking forward to your next article on such a powerful life transforming topic.
Gratitude and Blessings.
Cherie
Cherie Rasmussen´s last blog ..Using Article Marketing To Promote Affiliate Products
February 27th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
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February 27th, 2010 at 2:38 pm
Hi Cherie,
I’m glad you enjoyed my article. I agree that our perception drives our reactions to events. We all know that we need to stay positive but the ability find the positives when you’re in the middle of a difficult situation is the key.
It’s easy to think positively when things are going right; but how many of us can do it when we need it the most? I, for one, am a work in progress.