Guard Your Thoughts

They once asked Bruce Lee, the famous martial arts movie star, his opinion on negative thoughts. He said, “Negative thoughts are like weeds in your garden. You must pull them out by the roots and destroy them.”

You can’t think negative thoughts and expect a positive outcome. In my book, “Masters of Motivation,” I share information from James Allen who wrote the masterpiece, “As a Man Thinketh.” (By man, Allen meant both man and woman.) Allen stated that thinking negative thoughts and expecting a positive outcome was similar to planting apple seeds and expecting tomatoes.

It sounds silly that someone would plant apple seeds and expect a tomato, but that is what people do with their thoughts all the time. They plant seeds of negativity and doubt and then expect success and happiness. It won’t work. Why? Because it’s a Universal Law. By that I mean that everything in the Universe abides by specific laws. This particular Universal law is called Cause and effect.

Planting apple seeds is the cause; the effect will be an apple tree. Planting seeds of negativity in your mind is the cause; the effect is a negative experience.

If you think you won’t get the raise, you won’t. If you think that you won’t make the sale, you won’t. If you think that you will never be able to drive the car of your dreams or live in the house you desire, you won’t.

However, if you think that you will get the raise, make the sale, or get that dream car, you eventually will. If you think the right thoughts.

Here is an exercise that you may find useful. It's called, “Think About What You Think About.” The focus of this exercise is on helping you become the master of your thought activity.

1. Look for the patterns of thought or self-talk that has become habitual, as you think about your goal or interact with others. For example, when you are criticized by others or when others give you their negative opinion about your desires or goals - what thoughts automatically come into your mind?

Do you rationalize by saying, “They really didn’t mean it” or “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that comment.”

Do you counter-attack by stating, “I must be right, because I know they’re wrong!”

Do you feel sorry for yourself and cry, “Why did they say that?” or “No one ever likes what I do.”

2. Now ask yourself:

“Are my reactions of my own choosing or am I responding as I was taught?”

“Am I defending who I am by justifying what I did?”

“Is my response to always protect myself?”

List some of the negative opinions or criticisms of others that you can remember. List some of the negative thoughts that you give yourself, when you think about your goals or desires. Write these thoughts down. Now write what you would normally say in response either to others or yourself.

Examine your responses. Undoubtedly, many will be automatic responses based on your past. It’s time to put away the past and deal with the present and move on to a glorious future. To do that, determine if you need to modify your responses so that you can react in a more positive way.

By listening to the working of our minds, we begin to live at a level above the automatic reaction of previous programming. We now live at a place of conscious choosing. Making our own choices requires a dedication to the uniqueness of self. It is assuming mastery over one’s own life. It is living in the NOW.