Control Your Own Mind – It’s The Most Important Skill You Can Master.
Never Let Other People’s Fears Compromise Your Happiness
Many people start out with dreams of the things they want to be when they grow up. Maybe a scientist, or a senator, or a teacher. Then they start making plans only to discover that years later, they are doing something completely different than what they had intended to do. If asked about their dreams later on, they may say things like:
● Life happens,
● I didn’t have much support,
● I grew up poor so how can I succeed.
A lot of people become their own worst enemy. They start to believe the things that they hear from outside influences. They start to set themselves up so that they won’t achieve those dreams that they had when they were children. The things that they hear in their heads aren’t something that implicitly live there, it is years of hearing that they can’t do something.
According to a study titled Social Influences in Sequential Decision Making by Markus Schöbel, et al, published in 2016, the author states in the introductory paragraph that:
“Individuals often ignore their own opinion in favor of the opinions of others.”
Thought is powerful, it’s the most powerful force in existence. A single thought of I can, will change the course of someone’s life. A single thought of “I can’t” will create the wrong outcome.
FEAR
We lean on the knowledge and wisdom of those around us when making choices in life, but we have to remember that people are fallible and that their experiences stem from their own life choices, and the advice and support that they have gotten in the past.
So with these past experiences in hand advice is handed down. Temper that though because it’s not a lack of ambition, or resources that got in the way of these dreams of the people we seek advice from it is and always will be fear.
People fear that which they haven’t become.If someone is trying to rise above their circumstances and everyone around them is telling them that they can’t, they may believe that.
People fear that which they aren’t.
If someone grew up in an educated white-collar professional family and they decided that they want to be a bricklayer, those around this person may look down on them because that’s just not what we do.
People fear that which they don’t know.
If someone has grown up in a small town and they desire to move to the city, those around them may tell them horror stories about what happens in the city. Get told enough, then that dream of moving to the city disappears.
People fear that which is different.
If someone is trying to go outside the box of what is traditionally their lifestyle, those around them may try to manipulate the situation so that it doesn’t happen.
TAKING BACK CONTROL
Fear and thought are the controlling forces in a lot of lives. So how do you control your own mind, and along with it, your own destiny? It’s the simplest hardest thing you will ever do:
You just do.
Remember these things:
● Goals are worthwhile when they have been completed.
● You are not what you think you are
● Living life is about living life, not going through the motions of existence
● Fear is a response to the unknown. To overcome fear, make the unknown, known.
Practical steps to control your own mind:
● JOURNAL
○ Not only about your dreams and ambitions but about all of those around you that are casting doubt. Do this daily to clear the clutter in your mind
● SET GOALS
○ Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Yearly. If you want a 5-year plan, go ahead a do that, but chances are, that 5-year plan is going to go out the window.
● LEARN
○ Take a class, read a book. Knowledge is freedom for your mind.
● MEDITATE
○ Be Mindful, Practice Yoga, Do Daily Affirmations.
● TAKE ACTION
○ No matter what you do, always take action. Everyday wake up and do something. A little progress every day, is far better than no progress at all.
● BE ACTIVE.
○ Sitting alone in a room alone all day watching your favorite streaming service is not being in control of your own mind. It is the antithesis of control.
● HAVE FAITH IN YOURSELF
○ You are the most important person in your life. Your opinion should carry the most weight.
Don’t let the fear others have, control your destiny and cast doubt on you. Take action and be the person that you have always wanted to be.