*This was a post that I originally wrote back in December of 2008… holy moly it’s hard to believe it’s been 2 years! It’s one of my favorites (although I could pick apart the writing, I decided to leave it as is), and is particularly important this time of year. Enjoy and let me know your thoughts 🙂
I was out and about today doing some Christmas shopping, running errands and trying to stay on top of my action list. One of my stops today was at Barnes and Noble (had a gift card just burning a hole in my purse). I love browsing book stores, I literally could spend the WHOLE day in there…coffee and books-heaven!
Anyway, I finally settled on 2 self-development books and a magazine and went to pay for my purchases. The woman behind the cash register was looking at what I was buying and expressed interest in one of the books. “Are there more of these back there?” she asked me. I replied yes and that I was looking forward to reading it as the author had recently been on a talk show. She proceeded to tell me that she loved reading self-development books and that she was going to buy it AND then she said…”BUT, IT PROBABLY WON’T WORK ANYWAY.”
WH, WH…WWWHHHAAAATTTT!?
This woman, whom I will probably never see again, received an impromptu lesson from me that I normally charge a fee for (although she got the condensed version!).
I looked at her askance and said, “Did you just hear what you said?”
She looked me at me like I had just grown another head and said “What?” I asked her why she was even bothering to buy the book.
She looked at me very puzzled and I said, “Are you buying the book for entertainment or are you buying it to improve your life in some way?”
She kind of laughed and replied that she hadn’t really thought about it.
So I explained to her that she was already discounting the material with the mindset that it “wouldn’t work.” We talked for a little more (while people behind me were still waiting in line) and I stressed to her that unless she BELIEVED in what she was reading and went in with a positive mindset she wouldn’t get anything out of the book anyway.
“Wow” she said laughing, “You’re good.” I laughed with her and said “It’s what I do.”
How many times do you go into something with that defeatist mindset already hovering in your mind?
You may not even be aware you’re doing it!! Be conscious of your mindset! Remember your thoughts are things that will help or hinder you.
Have a time that this has happened to you? Please share 🙂
Danielle ~ It’s sad but true … that many, many people have not yet had the guidance or learning that all things are possible and you need to keep a positive mindset to achieve them. I’m fortunate that I grew up in a very positive environment with parents who “got it” but I meet a lot of people who didn’t … so by no fault of their own they are living with negative “stinkin thinking.” I’m glad you are out there changing people’s mindset and I know a lot of people will be forever changed because of it. *huGs* Suzanne
I spent about 42 years in the defeatist mindset! That negative thinking is still there, it really is amazing how much influence it can have if you aren’t aware that it is there. I think most people don’t realize how negative their thinking is. I sure didn’t. One of these days I’m going to try to tally all the negative thoughts I have. I’m not sure I can count that high though!
So many people think it’s bunk but once you experience for yourself the power of the mind, everything changes. Life becomes about choices. I get to choose what I want and don’t want. It’s almost scary to have that much power over your life after having been a victim of this or that (which in actuality was negative thinking) for so many years.
I could fill a book with a list of things I’ve failed at, or worse, never attempted because I didn’t believe I would succeed – my marriage being the most significant. Not that I’m not happy (now) that it’s over LOL – but still…there was a lot of negativity in that relationship that was created by my negative thinking. Come to think of it, I was IN that relationship BECAUSE of my negative thinking! eesh!!!
We were together for 14 years. Our last 5 years I was fairly miserable and literally afraid to let on that I wasn’t happy with the status quo. I thought if I told him I needed changes in the relationship that he would leave me. Guess what? (duh!) He DID!! And I didn’t even have to open my mouth! 😉
Yeah, so, I try not to do silly stuff like think failure these days. Though, I wish there were some sort of gadget we could hook up to our brains that would set off an alarm every time a negative thought popped up.
Hi Dale:
Yes, a gadget like a little shocker would probably work wonders, right??(LOL)! Thank you for your post…it’s amazing how we don’t even REALIZE our negative mindsets most of the time. And you’re so right, it IS scary to think that you truly do have that much power over your life and that you are in control.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, I truly appreciate it and YOU! Let’s keep getting the message out there 🙂
All the best,
Danielle
Danielle:
the language is just fine…no revision is a good decision.
good points, all your articles have good points. i personally delight in the way you write…warm intimate firm and humorous yet the message is never lost.