Lesson #19 in my “Learning How To Become Remarkable” series. To begin the series (highly suggested), please click –> Here
Are you in control of your thoughts or… are your thoughts actually in control of you? For most of us the answer is irrefutably clear.
THE NUMBERS
To begin, here’s what we know. Numerous studies have revealed that…
1. Humans have on average 60,000 thoughts per day,
2. 95% of those 60,000 thoughts are the same as they were the day before (Yes, we are almost entirely creatures of habit – read/click –> “If You Are Not Practicing Something What Are You Getting Good At“) and,
3. 80% of of those 60,000 are negative (or, as I call it, “disempowering”).
What this means is that the average person has 48,000 negative or disempowering thoughts each and every day – 48,000 mostly habitual, disempowering thoughts that is.
If this was all news to you (the overwhelming volume of disempowering thoughts you have and how they habitually occupy and predominate your mind) then logic would dictate that you perhaps don’t know yourself as well as you do. (Parenthetically, I can prove this to be true for most of you, that you don’t know yourself very well at all – read/click “The One Thing Super Successful People Know That You Likely Don’t“.) However, given this fundamental lack of self awareness most of us have of ourselves, what’s significantly more important here is that we are not aware why… why we have the particular disempowering thoughts we do. For example, why you feel you are less than in some areas of your life. Why you often say either aloud or silently to yourself, you can’t get up early. Why your body doesn’t look nice (to you). Why you say you can’t cook. Why you keep saying it’s just not worth it. Why you’re settling. Why you’ve given up on your dreams.. Why you often blame others for your troubles or failures. Why you still after all these years won’t talk to your family member.
For many the answers why lie embedded in our fears, our discomfort, our suffering and all that we are intellectually and emotionally attached to. What is clear for almost all of us however is this…once again, we are without question creatures of habit. We all (well, most of us) are unknowingly programmed, wrapped up in the habits of our own thoughts and behaviors. Because of them, as a result of them, we have become blind to this very essence of who we really are, why we feel and act the way we do and why our outcomes are what they are.
The fact remains, there is so much more to us than perhaps we ever really knew. Yet, ironically, here so many of us are espousing to ourselves and to others our beliefs, our convictions of what we know to be the truth… that which is right and that which is wrong. But, what really is the truth? Are you unhesitatingly sure that you consciously possess it? Or, is it possible that all which you have perceived to be the truth has only ever really been yours – your truth, a truth, but not necessarily THEE truth? Are you even willing to accept the notion that another truth, different than your own might exist? Hint… if there is an area of your life that you would like to improve, elevate, if there is something you aspire to that you have continually failed at, if you are not living at your optimal best then the truth is… you may not possess all the truths you think or believe you do.
THIS IS WHERE IT GETS REALLY INTERESTING
Now this is where it gets really interesting. Our habitual thoughts (both directly and indirectly) catalyze our habitual responses and behaviors. Those habitual responses and behaviors (again, both directly and indirectly) catalyze our outcomes; many of those outcomes, regular or habitual as well. So, in essence, our lives are what they are because we think what we think and those thoughts for many, are controlling of us. Boiling it all down, the vast majority of the human race is simply letting life come to them. Their thoughts. Their words. Their actions. Their behaviors. The outcomes. The good news though is, we can change it.
ONE THING YOU CAN DO
While there are many things you can and should do to begin taking charge of your thoughts – many of which are in my book, see below or click –> HERE – probably the single, most effective and important thing you can do (again, to live a life predominated by empowering thoughts you create rather than habitually disempowering thoughts serendipitously finding and controlling you), is to meditate. And, before you habitually react to this notion (I hear those thoughts in many of your heads, “that’s just too weird”, “that’s not me”, “I can’t”, “I simply don’t have time”), think again. Tens of millions of people around the world practice some form of meditation regularly. Moreover, countless successful leaders, business executives, athletes and celebrities do the same. Here’s a list of a dozen folks you might know…
Steve Jobs – Founder of Apple
Jeff Weiner – CEO of Linkedin
Bill Ford – Chairman of Ford Motors
Russell Simmons – Billionaire entrepreneur
Ariana Huffington – Founder of the Huffington Post
Evan Williams – Twitter Co-Founder
Derek Jeter – Future NY Yankee Hall of Famer
Jerry Seinfeld – Comedian/Actor
Kobe Bryant – Future LA Laker Hall of Famer
Oprah Winfrey – Entrepreneur Media Magnate
Howard Stern – Radio Star
Lebron James – 3 time NBA Champion
Does this now make you curious? Curious enough to want to know and learn more? If so, stay tuned. I will be highlighting this subject in future postings. Meanwhile, for those who presently don’t meditate but are sufficiently curious to learn more and give it a whirl on your own:
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Simply Google “How To Meditate”, and/or
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Download the FREE app (for Android and iPhone) “Insight Timer” – just an incredible free service that also includes thousands of free, superbly guided meditations.
If you desire to be in more control of your thoughts and outcomes I assure you it will require a lot of work and practice. Practice that becomes habit. And, what better way to get started living a more empowered, happy life than hiring a mentor or coach to help you. Click the “Contact” tab above and let’s talk. Additionally, you might also wish to purchase a copy of my e-book (below). Meanwhile, to continue following our blogs, simply enter your email address where it says “blog feed” on the top right of the my blog title page – BLOG.
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GROW YOURSELF AND GROW YOUR BUSINESS: Learning How To Live and Lead So That Success Simply Finds You
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Real happiness and success starts here! The beautiful truth revealed in this book is simply this… that your business will only ever be as good as you.
While almost everyone is singularly focused on IT (your business, your company, your dream), within these pages you quickly learn about there is a relationship between IT and YOU and that you need to focus on both. So, if you are one of those leaders whose business, company or startup is struggling or seeks to get to the next level, this book will teach you how to grow yourself so that you can grow it. WARNING! What you are about to read may surprise you. Ironically, much of it you likely already know. Some perhaps you may not. Either way, this will challenge you for sure. It does everyone.
Andrew Kolikoff: A former environmental scientist, chief science officer, university adjunct professor, resource conservation not-for-profit founder turned author and entrepreneur (a 3 time successful business owner – one time landing him on the front page of USA Today), Andrew now is the owner of a cutting edge consulting service that helps “bake happiness, purpose and productivity” into business. We all dream of feeling more fulfilled in our businesses and our work… Kolikoff and Company’s unique approach delivers bold, beautiful cultures based on everything that matters most.
Feel free to connect with Andrew on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kolikoff. He can also be found at www.kolikoff.com.
