Yin vs YangThe Battle for Success in Life

I always speak about the unlimited power of the human mind. With great power comes the need for great control. That’s why the mind is only great if it is used properly. If it is not understood, the mind can create limits that cause the illusion of entrapment.

Our mind is an incredible tool. Think of how many thoughts go through our head as we are reading this paragraph….

Do you like it? Should you keep reading? I read something similar. I wonder what this guy looks like?

All this just in the back of your head while you read. Your mind produces an incredible amount of thoughts per day…

Newsgroup: sci.psychology
"Dr. Deepak Chopra once quoted a study (...) in which the researchers
concluded that the average person thinks approximately 65,000 thoughts
per day. They also went on to conclude that of these 65,000, about 95%
are exactly the same thoughts that [passed] through the minds of
people the day before."

Imagine that. We are prone to the same daily thoughts over and over again. That is why we are creatures of habit. It is our thought pattern. If we can manipulate our thought pattern, we can change. This is what AA is all about for alcoholics and drug addicts. They don’t tell people to stop drinking or using. They tell them they have to change the entire way they think. Every day, from the minute they get up, their thoughts lead them toward their addiction.

We all should be aware of this, because our mind places limits on the things we do. I remember hearing a story about how, by 1954, no one had ever run under a 4 minute mile. Then a young medical student from England named Roger Bannister broke it by less than a second. It took almost 90 years of trying to break the 4 minute mile. It was once thought physically impossible. After Bannister broke it, 9 other men broke the 4 minute mile within 2 years.

Imagine that. Something once thought impossible, is proven possible, and now all of a sudden 9 other people can do it too. Why? The reason is, once the mind knows something is possible, it has no excuse. Our mind can put limits on our physical body because of our thoughts. Our thoughts are not only powerful to others, they are twice as powerful to ourselves. They set the blueprint of our actions throughout our life. They control who we are, what we believe, and how we act.

The first step to controlling your mind is to understand it. Understand the thought pattern it has throughout the day. Be aware of the patterns you will start to see. Try to ‘watch’ yourself as if you were another person. This will help you get a better idea of how your thoughts affect your day.

For example, if you just began driving and every time you see rain you think you are going to get into an accident, chances are, you are going to be at a GREATER risk of getting in that accident. Your body is controlled by your thoughts. When you are driving in the rain, scared, tense, and full of fear, you are not performing at your elite level. You are hampered down by emotion.

Now, let’s try another thought pattern. When it rains, you think of it as a challenge. You know the roads are wet, other cars have less traction, and you need to be at your best. Now, when it rains, your body perks up. You sit up straighter as your senses heighten. You breathe normally, completely relaxed in your mind. You are ready for the challenge. This is performing at an elite level.

If you think something to be true, then it probably already is. The mind is a great power that needs to be used properly. It’s gas is thoughts. In Jiu Jitsu, I used to have a problem when I was smothered. My thought pattern led me to feel claustrophobic. I panicked every time a bigger guy mounted me and smothered my face. However, once I changed my thought pattern, it was no longer a problem. I started to think to myself ‘Winner’s escape from here’. For whatever reason, this simple thought gave me the courage and energy to escape time and time again. It is what I feed on when I face that problem.

Be aware of your pitfalls in business, or simply, in life. Try to observe from a distance and remember that the simple & only way to change your physical actions is to change the pattern of your thoughts.

Thoughts are the gas that fuels our path down the road of life.

It just depends which thoughts you are using. Make sure they are your own, makes sure they are sincere, and make sure they are positive no matter what anyone else says. Remember, the mind is a muscle. Train that muscle properly each day, and it will develop incredible power and control, just like any other muscle.

But unlike any other, the potential possibilities for this muscle are endless.