Earlier this year, some of you were preparing to resolve to change your life in one way or another. Stay focused so you won’t return to the same bad habits that got you to the point of desiring change in the first place.
I discovered years ago that the answer to what I really wanted to achieve was simply in the decision to make up my mind that I was going to make it happen. Practicing self- determination, drive and commitment are the first steps towards obtaining your goals. The hardest part is staying focused. Through adversities, life challenges and more sacrifices than I ever thought I would have to make, staying focused meant committing to a plan.
You will make resolutions and promises, swearing that this time, a true metamorphosis will take place in your life. There will be purchases of exercise equipment that will soon serve as clothing racks. There will be gym memberships that will never be used. I foresee career opportunities that won’t come to fruition and business ideas that will never see the light of day, simply because you will not use your God-given ability to take control over your life.
Women will flock to conference halls and convention centers trying to find the meaning of life, the reasons for failure and the keys to success. They will catch trains, planes, buses and even board boats to attend seminars in hopes that a self-appointed expert can help figure out why they just can’t seem to get their acts together.
The answer to what I really wanted to achieve was simply in the decision to sticking it out. I’m sure you’re familiar with the saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” I believe that when the going gets tough, the tough should just get tougher.
Two of life’s greatest challenges are to change and to let go. You can- not successfully accomplish one with- out the other. Change goes hand-in- hand with releasing undesirable attachments to bad habits, bad thoughts and bad people. Stay focused. It’s easy to succumb to distractions when you are not standing on a solid mental foundation.
You are not alone if you are one of many who have asked herself, “Why am I still where I don’t want to be? In a job I hate, surrounded by people I loathe and still in a relationship that was once a fulfilling romance, but is now a dreaded companionship.”
Your thoughts are the driving force that fuel your behavior. When you change your mind, it becomes much easier to change your conduct. Only when you alter your behavior will you see your life transformed. When you do the same thing in the same way, you are almost guaranteed to get the same results.
But it all begins with the power of thought. The power of the mind should not be minimized. The reason that you return to the old way of doing is simply because you have returned to the old way of thinking. However, you can think your way to success. Some call the practice the art of positive thinking.
Unfortunately, we don’t live in a society that reinforces a holistic approach to achieving a satisfying quality of life. Society sends the message that if you have a problem, you can just pull out your wallet and purchase the answer to solve whatever ails you. The only think worse than not having power is having power and not using it.
It’s easy to get discouraged when the daily demands of life are competing for your attention. Think about how you would feel if this time next year you find yourself trapped by self-imposed barriers. Open yourself to the possibilities by allowing your actions to be limited only to the extent of your vision. Remember, you are what you think. “There is a dream with your name on it and no one can claim it. You have to guard it. You can only do so by staying focused.”
