It has been proven over time that you become what you think about on a consistent basis. The straightforward truth is that if you want to live a big life, it’s absolutely essential that you think about the big things that you want in your life. Things like strong relationships, good health, and enough money to do the things that you want to do without need. Unfortunately, our brains and our subconscious are wired to keep us in the status quo. The mind wants us to stay safe - to think big, dream big, and play big feels dangerous, so the brain kicks in negative thoughts to suppress risk and bring us back down to “safety.” It’s a life thermostat. If our thoughts start to exceed our current realty, the brain kicks on the AC and cools us off.
The good news is that with some consistent effort, we can set the thermostat to where we want it to be… to the life we want to live. Be warned, this battle between the ears is a life-long battle that never ends. It will be the biggest struggle you will ever fight. Most people are never made aware of the power of thought. But elite level producers realize that this is where it all begins, between the ears.
You win the battle of the mind. You win in life.
So, how do you win the battle?
1. AWARENESS: Just knowing the struggle is there and accepting that you need to work on this every day for the rest of your life is a big first step.
2. AFFIRMATIONS: Create affirmations to reprogram your mind and stave off the brain’s instinct to shut down ‘risky’ ideas. Affirmations are positive mind talk.
3. VISUALIZE and MEDITATE: These are powerful processes that you should implement daily to reprogram your thermostat.
4. …be GRATEFUL. Intentional gratitude is the most simple but most powerful strategy you can implement daily to keep your mental energy in the positive zone.
In fact, if you do nothing else, create a daily Gratitude habit.
Some people journal. Some people do pages. Some people call it prayer and thanksgiving. Some make it part of their visualization and meditation practices.
Theologians and scientists agree on this essential thing… thoughts create things. How you choose to interpret this notion is your decision and there is no wrong answer.
As part of my meditation, after breathing exercises, I start for being grateful that I am healthy, that my heart is pumping blood through my body, that I am breathing, that I was able to get up and walk today, that my mind is clicking on all cylinders. I then get grateful for my wife, my children, my parents and siblings, Tucker, my possessions. I then spread those thoughts out and get grateful for my friends, all of you, my career, the fact that I get to travel, that I love my work, the team that I work with every day.
I’ll go through this 3-step process where I work the circle out (check out Tony Robbins’ gratitude practice) and by the time I get through it, I am buzzing. I then hold that feeling and mentally double it several times to take my frequency to the next level.
That is the frequency that I try to plug into every day. I have a feeling of immense gratitude for what I have in my life despite challenges and unmet goals.
Gratitude is a high impact, low cost, easy to implement strategy that will be a game changer for anyone, especially those feeling stuck. But, like everything else, it has to be done consistently if you want to see the impact from it.
Remember - you are what you think about.
Your current situation is just a manifestation of what you were thinking in the past. Don’t beat yourself up for it. It is what it is. Just understand and accept that awareness of your current situation is a great place to start.
Some people may dismiss a gratitude practice as a bit woo-woo. I look at it as a non-negotiable part of my strategy to be the best version of me.
