Self-confidence

In my opinion, self-confidence is just an expectation of a positive outcome. When you have self-confidence and expect the outcome to be positive, then you are more willing to stay in the fight until you have reached your objective. You will become more willing to do whatever it takes to prepare yourself because you believe the efforts will pay off. It’s not having confidence by itself that produces success.

            Many people walk around full of confidence, but never have the expectation of a positive outcome. Work backwards. First, see the lifestyle you desire. See success first in your mind. This will then give you the self-confidence to start the project.

            Self-confidence is like the game of baseball. If you want to score, you must first get to first base. You can’t score from first base so you must do whatever it takes to get to second base. There are different ways to get to second base, or at least to move to third base. Here are the ways to score from third base. A hit will bring you in; a fly ball to outfield, and an error will bring you in as well. Even walking while the bases are loaded will bring you in. A wild pitch or a pass ball will do. A catcher’s interference will do it and a ground out that does not result in the third out will do it. You see, just having the confidence, you will score. The chances increase dramatically as you put forth the effort to increase your odds of scoring. Life is the same way.

            People cannot envision success because the distance from first base to home looks too far, so they really never try. Self-confidence without an expectation of a positive outcome, is just wishing and you and I both know that wishing alone will not accomplish anything. So grab a bat and see yourself scoring in the game of life. Expect to score and prepare yourself to do whatever it takes. Look at the faces of the winning team when they score the winning run. Then, look at the faces of the losing team and you decide which face is yours.

Today’s Exercise: Start seeing things from the end.

Today’s Affirmation: I am enthusiastic and confident.

Points to Ponder: Self-confidence is just an expectation of a positive outcome.

Ambition

The origin of the word “ambition” is interesting. The Mirriam Webster dictionary states that “ambition” originates from the Latin word “ambitio” which literally meant back then, the act of soliciting for votes. Over time, the meaning of “ambition” moved to an ardent desire for rank, fame, or power; desire to achieve a particular end. Even more interesting one of the synonyms for “ambition” is “aspiration.” Aspiration implies a striving after something higher than oneself and usually implies that the striver is thereby ennobled.

            In this chapter, we look at the steps that lead to success. First, there must be desire. A burning desire leads to ambition. Ambition leads to action. Action leads to success. Success and Happiness are the goals God asks of us.

Monthly Affirmation: I am enthusiastic and confident.

To Be Successful You Must Have a Positive Mental Attitude

Why is this so important? Because your mental thinking, your thoughts are connected directly to the Creator of all things. This Creator will do your bidding and if you have a negative mental attitude, then you will receive negative results. This sounds like common sense to me. There’s an old computer saying that goes, “Garbage in garbage out.” Well your mind is the most powerful and most sophisticated computer in the universe. Why would you think it would give you anything other than what you put into it? We are in the information age; technology is doubling every ten years. Five hundred years ago, the average person had an excuse. Today we see it all around us. Use your Subconscious Mind or you will be no better off then the peons of yesteryear.

One’s place in life is largely determined by one’s mental attitude.   

Read that sentence over and over, until it sinks in. Don’t buy the get rich quick schemes of the con artist. There are no quick short cuts or once in a lifetime deals. I said it before and I’ll say it again, “That once in a lifetime opportunity comes along every fourteen minutes.” If you’re not prepared for it, it will go right by you disguised as a problem. A positive mental attitude wins financial success. This is a law. There are no maybes or lucky streaks or being in the right place at the right time. You must prepare for success. It starts with your mental attitude. Positive means confident expectation, self-confidence, optimism, initiative, courage, energy, and expectation of wealth, health, and happiness. Sounds easy doesn’t it, yet you are probably thinking negatively seventy-five percent of the time.

It’s human nature; we live in a negative world. Count how many times someone says something negative in your presence. Watch Everybody Loves Raymond on the TV and count all the negative situations and statements. This is a top rated TV show reaching millions of people each week. Poor Robert. This character thinks negatively ninety-nine percent of the time. Now it’s just a TV show I know, but that message is being fed to our Subconscious Mind as, “This is a normal way to live.” We need a makeover. We need to understand that it is not talent, education, or your job that will determine your success, but your mental attitude that wins success. Here’s the good news. You have complete control of what you put into your Subconscious Mind!

Today’s Exercise: Take a journal and write down every negative thought, word, or situation that happens to you today and turn those thoughts in positive thoughts.

Today’s Affirmation: The kingdom of God is within me.

Points to Ponder: One’s place in life is largely determined by their mental attitude.

Positive Thinking

Faith is nothing more than a concerted effort to convey to your Subconscious Mind the thoughts that you want to manifest in your life. Faith means thinking of what you want not what you don’t want. Faith is discipline; it means refusing to accept the negative or to even think about the negative. It takes a bold person to make this stand and if you pronounce your faith out loud, you will stand the ridicule of all the negative people, which unfortunately is the bulk of our society.

Faith in a sense is trusting in God. Now most people trust in God, and they see no connection between how their lives are run and the intervention of God. Most people feel they have no direct contact with God until they die and then there is this big judgment party and you either go to Heaven or Hell. Imagine standing in line and your number is nine hundred forty-seven billion, six hundred million, eight hundred forty-six thousand, one hundred thirty-nine. That’s a long wait to find out where you are going. Now imagine going to Hell for eternity because of a few transgressions in your lifetime of one hundred years or less. Try to comprehend eternity. I remember in third grade in Catholic school I asked the nun if I ate meat on Friday and I died would I go straight to hell. She said yes, and it rocked my world. I told her that I had a Jewish friend who had chicken soup every Friday night. Is he going to Hell? Well, she realized she was getting in too deep, so she whacked me across the knuckles with a ruler and told me to sit down and shut up.

            I’m kind of curious, all those people who ate meat on Fridays during the 1920s to the 1950s did they get a pardon when the Pope did away with this sin. Think of all lives ruined because of a lack of understanding of our faith. Wouldn’t it be great if the great religions of this planet would teach love, kindness, positive thinking, and our connection to God and to every other human being on this planet instead of fear, pain, judgment, and everlasting Hell? People who die for their religion, die for nothing. People who die for faith, for their fellow human being, make the greatest sacrifice a human can make. God does not want us to suffer, to fail, or be despondent. God wants us to succeed, to feel good, to be happy, and love one another as ourselves. This is the message that Jesus and all the other holy lords have taught us.

“As ye believe, so shall it be done unto you.” – Jesus Christ

Today’s Exercise: Make up your mind that God does not destroy itself.

Today’s Affirmation: The kingdom of God is within me.

Points to Ponder: Faith means thinking of what you want not what you don’t want. “As ye believe, so shall it be done unto you.” – Jesus Christ

A Stress Busting Attitude

Developing a positive, stress-busting attitude, is the first step to taking charge of stress. Remember: Your can’t control many things that happen to you, but you can control your attitude. One technique to thwart stress involves doing a “Gross Impact Activity.”  Pound something to release tension in a productive way. Opportunities to fight stress range from hitting a punching bag, running, jogging, or cleaning up the garage or yard.

            As pressures build in the office, you may vent in frustration or anger, which only raises the level of stress around you. Other employees may absorb the pent-up stress that you release.

            Accountability is one of the keys to defusing stress. You may not be operating from a position of accountability. I recommend these steps to build accountability.

                        1. Adopt the right attitude.

                        2. Be accountable yourself.

                        3. Hold others accountable.

                        4. Write down your priorities.

                        5. Make and expect commitments.

                        6. Get and give support.

            In order to manage yourself, I recommend creating two types of lists:

                        1. A master To Do List

                        2. A six month, Important Things To Do List

Remember:“ If you change the way you handle stress, the stress you handle will dissipate.”

Today’s Exercise: Make your lists.

Today’s Affirmation: I am a calm, peaceful and patient person.

Points to Ponder: Accountability is one of the keys to defusing stress.