As I listened again to one of my Success Magazine cd’s, I was reminded of how powerful this concept is. Yesterday’s post shared two methods of “how” to feed your mind. Today, I want to explore the “why.”
We’ve all heard this message and likely heeded its advice.
Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
But how exactly do we watch our thoughts?
T. Harv Eker argues that our programming comes before our thoughts, much like an operating system determines how a computer will perform. He suggests that we’ve been so conditioned to think a certain way that most of our thoughts aren’t even at a conscious level.
When I was a kid, we called this “brainwashing,” and it was something that only happened in scary movies.
The more I think about it, I realize that we’re brainwashed about a lot of things.
We’re heavily influenced by our families, our friends, our peers, and our culture. We let all sorts of things “tell” us how much house we need, which cars to drive, how much we need to work, and what clothes to wear.
This wasn’t nearly as clear to me until I stopped watching television. Previously, I would have told you that ads didn’t affect me much. Wrong.
It’s so much easier for me to eat healthier without having to see the latest hamburger, pizza, or dessert special on a commercial. My old Jeep and Chrysler 300 seem just fine when not being compared to a brand new Lexus with a bow on top.
That’s half of it: subtract the programming that doesn’t support your goals.
Next, you have to fill the void, and there are all sorts of options for that.
– Start your day with a devotional. (I’m using this one right now.)
– Listen to an audiobook on your way to work in the morning.
– Watch a TED Talk as you brew your morning coffee.
– Fill your RSS reader with motivational blogs.
– Read an inspirational biography before you go to bed each night.
Before we change our character, our habits, our actions, or our words, we’ll have to change our thoughts. And before we change our thoughts, we’ll have to change our programming. It really is that simple.
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