Seth Godin – ‘Controlling what you eat is an interesting challenge, but not nearly as important as controlling how you think.’
How healthy is your thinking?
We are generally more preoccupied with what we’re eating and how it makes us feel, as opposed to what we’re thinking and how it makes us feel.
It’s said that we have over 50,000 thoughts a day, and the ratio of negative ones over positive ones is 4:1.
How conscious are you of your thoughts and whether or not they serve you? Do they just flow at random, or do you have intention behind them?
Clearly it would be a challenge to tune into all of your thoughts, but being more aware of them at key moments within your day could help you change your perspective or judgement of a situation.
Exchanging negative thoughts that have their roots in bias, lack of confidence, fear or apathy to ones that are rooted in curiosity, gratitude or enthusiasm can literally transform your outcomes.
The first step is awareness of your thoughts and thought patterns. The second is altering any that are doing more harm than good. Flip any negatives over to a positive, or see the better in a situation. Tell yourself what you can do, rather than what you can’t do.
As a team, help steer your collective thoughts before a meeting by choosing mantras that will work for you. Spend a few minutes before a presentation choosing the thoughts that will serve you best. Verbalise your thoughts so that you can get input and encouragement for those that will help you succeed rather than hold you back.
It’s a choice that you can make on a daily basis. On that note, I’ll leave you with one of my favourite ‘half full / half empty’ quotes.
“The glass may be half full or it may be half empty. Either way, there is always room for more wine!”