“A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Setting yourself a goal is the first step towards turning that goal into a reality. Taking action becomes the next step, and the next, and the next… However, to get from where you are to where you want to be, you must believe it’s possible for you to get there.
You are as you think you are, and your circumstances are as you think they are.
Let’s say it’s your goal to learn a new skill, something like learning a new language or learning how to ballroom dance. You’ve set yourself a goal and you’ve created a step-by-step action plan of how you’re going to achieve it. So far so good, but, unless you believe it’s possible for you to achieve your goal, you’re unlikely to get there.
Your thoughts and beliefs influence your emotions and your emotions influence your actions.
If it’s your goal to learn a new language, but in your mind you’re thinking, “I’ll never do this. I just don’t have the brain power to be any good at this. I’m rubbish at languages,” then those negative thoughts are going to hold you back.
Positive thoughts are the driving force behind positive achievements, and your physical state is hugely influenced by your emotional state. If you believe you’re going to fail before you even begin, guess what? Think about it: if your mind is full of negative thoughts, you feel bad, and that low mood keeps you in a low energy state where your focus tends to be on the negative happenings in your life.
The more time you spend dwelling on a thought, the more power you give it. It’s unrealistic to imagine a negative thought will never enter your mind, but you can learn how to take control your thoughts and switch your focus from negatives to positives.
Whatever you choose to focus on, you give energy to.
To begin making changes, try the following:
- Take a hard, objective look at your current reality and ask yourself, “How are my inner thoughts and attitudes being reflected in my outer life?”
- Take responsibility for your reality and commit to making changes by choosing to change your thinking.
- Begin to visualise the outcome you want and focus on the positives it will bring. Ask yourself, “What changes will I need to make internally to achieve the things I want externally?”
- Take steps to make those changes.
The bottom line is that by changing your thinking, you can change your reality.
Think like a winner.
Don MacNaughton is a High Performance Coach and has worked tirelessly to help clients achieve success in the world of sport and business over the past 15 years. The next, highly popular, NLP Diploma and Life Coaching Certificate course starts in April 2019. Click here for more information or to sign up.