Are You Managing Your Thoughts?
By Nina Atwood
“The keys to effectiveness in life and business are 1.) self-awareness, 2.) self-mastery, and 3.) being on purpose,” says my Vistage colleague Mary Lore, author of Managing Thought: Are You Living the Life You Intend? Mary says we all have the ability to do these three things, and we can through managing thought.
Often we focus on changing behavior in order to achieve results while neglecting the power of changing thoughts. Yes, behavior drives results. However, if thoughts are not in alignment with that behavior, it takes too much force to shape behavior. Force cuts off creativity and expansion. Inspiration is far more powerful because it comes from within and doesn’t require force.
Examples of thoughts that are not powerful and usually don’t work are: “need to” and “should” [forms of criticism and judgement]; “I will,” “I’m going to,” “I hope,” and other future thoughts which put a desired state out there and thus unattainable. Mary says we don’t suddenly become great or not great, healthy or not healthy, prosperous or bankrupt. We have many, many bankrupt moments that eventually physically manifest as bankruptcy. Likewise, we have many, many healthy, prosperous moments that eventually physically manifest. “The future is an illusion,” she says. “Our lives are a whole bunch of ‘nows’ that reach a critical mass.”
Some thoughts create conundrums. One that I’ve heard from single people is something along these lines: “I want a great relationship, but I never meet anyone really wonderful.” Another is “I want to be in love, but I don’t have the time to devote to a relationship.” Two thoughts strung together with a “but” in the middle cannot co-exist. In reality they have nothing to do with each other. By putting them together, we cut off expansion.
What are your thoughts today? What negative thoughts are limiting your expansion in life and love? What thoughts could you choose instead that would move you closer to what you truly want? What thoughts might you choose that would put you in the powerful state of happiness, hope, vision, thankfulness, and possibility?
The first step is self-awareness. Mary suggests a starting point of simply practicing being the observer of your thoughts, then testing them to discover how you feel when speaking them. Are you inspired by those particular thoughts? Ask yourself: “Does this thought move me in the direction of what I truly want?” Over time and with continued observation, you can begin to interrupt negative thoughts and replace them with thoughts that inspire and lead to expansion. For all of the steps in this process, you can reserve a copy of Mary’s book today.
Entry Filed under: Personal Growth
