Winning Through Adversity Part 2

Yesterday, we began discussing the steps necessary to win through adversity - how to use problems and a positive attitude for your advantage. Today we will continue this discussion. As we noted in the last post, everybody has problems arise so knowing how to deal with it is crucial.

5. Develop and maintain a deep spiritual relationship with your creator, God.
Many times people forget God is there until some tragic event happens and then they turn to God. While it is definitely good to turn to God during these times, if we have a continual abiding relationship with Him all the time it is so much easier to face any problems that arise. He even promised that He will work all things together for good to those that love Him and in my experience that has ALWAYS been true. For more information you can visit www.wbschool.org

6. Figure out if the problem is something that you can change or not.
Often we worry over things that we have no control over.

7. If it is something that you can not change make a resolution to let go of it. It is hard to function properly in aspect of life if you are preoccupied with something over which you have no control. It waste many precious hours. If you can not control it decide to change your attitude about it. It is so liberating to do.

8. If the problem is something you can change, then take a long hard look at it and DECIDE to change it. Program your mind to automatically look for the solution in any problem. This has been one of the single biggest things that has helped me to deal with adversity. When you focus on the problem itself it only gets bigger and bigger. When you tell yourself there is a solution and start looking for it great things happen. Your mind begins to go wild looking for a solution and good comes about as you go to action implementing the solution. Problems are negative. Solutions are positive.

Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude

9. Whether the problem is something that you can change or not, look for the good in it.
Usually I try to make it a rule to never assume anything. But this a a big exception.... Always assume that good is hidden in each difficulty. If you believe that you will find the good. Train your mind to think of a problem as a good thing. W. Clemment Stone is know for saying "Great!" whenever a problem arises. Was he successful?? You better believe it!!Always look for opportunities and you will always find them. This is true not only in adversity, but as you go through out each and every day. It's a matter of programming the mind that way.

10. Believe it is exactly what you need at the present time.
This is one of my favorites! Assume that whatever circumstance you are currently facing is exactly what you need to best reach your goals and be successful. Wow!!! How powerful is that!! Assume that God has given you this exact problem to help you be who you need to be and do what you need to do, to help you expand and grow. Michael Jordan says it this way... "I succeeded because I failed." In other words, he trained his mind to think that each failure was exactly what he needed to teach him the lesson he needed.

Go face whatever life throws at you!!!

Are the Successful Destined for Success?

As a young man, Abraham Lincoln went to war a captain and returned a private. Afterwards, he was a failure as a businessman. As a lawyer in Springfield, he was too impractical and temperamental to be a success. He turned to politics and was defeated in his first try for the legislature, again defeated in his first attempt to be nominated for congress, defeated in his application to be commissioner of the General Land Office, defeated in the senatorial election of 1854, defeated in his efforts for the vice-presidency in 1856, and defeated in the senatorial election of 1858. At about that time, he wrote in a letter to a friend, "I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on the earth."

The Success Principles(TM): How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

Success or Failure? - Never Give Up

Have you ever failed at anything (or multiple things) and because of that thought that you were a failure and that you would never succeed at anything? Maybe this will make you think:

Thomas Edison's teachers said he was "too stupid to learn anything." He was fired from his first two jobs for being "non-productive." As an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, "How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?"
Edison replied,

"I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps."

Remember you are only a failure if you listen to yourself and others and who tell you so. Resolve today to turn your failures into steps.

The Law of Success In Sixteen Lessons by Napoleon Hill (Complete, Unabridged)

Success - Who Would I Be IF.....

Can anyone be successful?

As I was sitting at the feet of the most influential woman in my life last week listening to her speak, a thought occurred to me that I could not put out of my head. The lady who introduced the speaker told all about her life, but the one thing that stuck out the most to me was who her parents were. Her parents were very well known and influential people among the group I was with and to many others. After all the time I had known her personally I had forgotten that her parents were who they were.

So the question kept ringing in my ears: "Can someone really be great and successful if they did not have successful well known parents?" What if you did not grow up in an environment where you were always encouraged and told you could do anything you wanted if you put your trust in God? What if you grew up in a negative environment? I asked these questions because, like many of you, to a large part that was my reality. (I am not saying this to put down or dishonor or blame my parents in any way. They simply raised us in the only way they knew how and the way they had been taught. I had great parents who taught me to love and serve God and that I am very thankful for.) But the encouragement to inspire to greatness was not there.

Rags to Riches?

So where does this leave us? Is it possible to reach heights if we've never been encouraged to do so? You better believe it? I'm living proof. Is it more difficult? Sure, but the thing to note is it is absolutely possible - if and only if we tell ourselves it's possible. It only takes a reprogramming of the mind. If our subconscious mind has always been programmed for unsuccess we must recognize that, bring it to consciousness and reprogram it for success.

There are hundreds and hundreds of stories of people who almost literally went from rags to riches. One of my favorites is the story of Mike Brescia who went from being homeless to one of the most successful salesman of all times. His story is a must read.

How do we do it?

So how does it happen? How do we make something of ourselves if we must start from scratch? How do we reprogram our minds once we see the need to do so?

First, we must let go of the past. As long as we are stuck in the past and blaming anyone for our current situation we will never go forward. Instead we must focus on what we can learn from the past and how to use it to move forward.

Second, we must believe anything is possible. Without this belief we will go nowhere.

Third, submerge yourself in learning from those who have been successful. Read, listen to and learn everything you can from them. If you REALLY believe it is possible you will seek out and find the information you need. Your mind won't let you stop.

Fourth, which really goes before number two: after the question hit me about if you had to have super encouraging parents to be a success, the next question that came to mind was:

Who would I really be if I had never been told I couldn't do anything or if it had been instilled in me that I could do absolutely anything if I put my trust in God?

That is a question that we should continually ponder. This requires us to dream of things that others consider impossible. Have I mentioned before about believing anything is possible? That's no accident!

Fifth, once we have determined the person we want to be, the next step is to write out a description of the person you want to be and what you want to accomplish.

Sixth, Act out the person you have DECIDED to become.

Seven, Act as thought it were IMPOSSIBLE TO FAIL It's all about deciding to and acting on the decision without letting the possibility of retreat enter your mind. Persevere no matter what.

Go for it!!!!

Recomended audio for reprogramming the mind:
Think and Grow Rich (Original, Unabridged Edition 12 CD Set)

Thankfulness and Postive Thinking

With all the stress of the holidays let's remember the big picture and how truly blessed we are. As we focus on our blessings it makes positive thinking a reality no matter what's going on.

The BIG Picture

When you're focused on the big picture you don't see problems. You see opportunities.
When you don't see the big picture you focus on your problems. You don't see the opportunities.

Positive Attitude - All Tied Together

This post is a continuation of the previous post. It will be necessary to read it in order for this one to make sense.

Let's look at the next two ingredients necessary for a positive attitude and then we'll will tie them all together and give some examples.

#2. Not setting yourself up for failure.
Expecting things to turn out one way when there is a good chance it will turn out another way is a setup for failure. This means that you replace the word "will" with "might" or "may" for things you have no control over. So often we say to ourselves "this WILL happen this way" when we may very well have no control over it. When a woman comes home with a new hair cut and expects her husband to notice she is likely setting herself up for failure. Many men are not in tune to those details. Instead of saying, "he will love my new haircut." Saying, "he may or may not notice my haircut is a better choice.....

#3. Looking ahead. What good can come from this? W. Clement Stone is noted for saying, "Great!" when he was faced with an obstacle. He saw each struggle or obstacle as an opportunity for improvement - to make things better. It requires a future focus - remembering to see the overall picture (#1 from previous post) and how this obstacle can help you to better achieve your vision and goals. You see, when you have your priorities and focus set, no obstacle will hold you back - only present more opportunities. When you define the overall picture you can handle ANY situation that comes up - and grow from it! This is powerful stuff!!!

Let's look at an example: Let's say that you get married and then you have no focus in your marriage of where you want it to go. You have no real picture of how you want you marriage to be. You just get up every day and do the old mundane things life requires of you to get by and never really pay attention to your spouse. You don't work to make your marriage better because you're not seeing the big picture of how you want it to be. You might even say to yourself or your spouse that you want it to be good, but until you have made that a priority and painted a clear vivid picture of what a good (or great) marriage is to you it absolutely will NOT be a good (or great marriage).

Priorities, a clear vivid picture, focus, commitment and real belief that it is possible (belief is crucial) will cause your mind to start engaging in the right direction. Your mind will start to create ways to make it happen. And where you lack knowledge your mind will lead you to find the answers. Vision and focus make your mind open and your eyesight will become 20/20. And then you will have the most beautiful marriage ever. You will not fall apart with every little thing that comes up in the marriage because you see the big picture and are committed. Bear it mind that it does take commitment from both partners, but very often (not always, but very often) just a change in your attitude can create a change in your spouse's attitude which will create open communication to talk about ways to improve the marriage.

So how does not setting yourself up for failure fit into the picture? When you realize that you can't control your spouse and what he/she does you start changing your language. You become responsible for the things you can change - YOU! You start saying he/she "may" do this (whatever it is you expect or even ask of them) instead of saying he/she "will" do this and if they don't you are disappointed and fall apart. What if you told yourself that "he/she may do this, but if they don't that's o:k because I'm committed to the big picture of making our marriage the best it can be no matter what?" Our disappointments will diminish to very little just by changing one or two words and our attitude. This can be applied to any goals or priorities in life.

So what about looking ahead? How does it fit in. What about those obstacles that do arise? What if something does come up in the marriage that you just can't agree on? With a clear focus and commitment, you look for and find ways that you can use this to make your marriage stronger and better. Just believe that it can make your marriage better and you will find a way for it to do so. (Belief leads to action.)

Well, what if I do everything I can to make our marriage turn out beautifully just the way I want it and my spouse is just not in the game? What then?

What is the even bigger picture? What if your overall picture was to choose to be happy and have a positive attitude - no matter what?

What if you saw the real big picture - that we are here to bring glory to God - always - no matter what?...... Then you will find a way to use EVERY situation to bring glory to God............ And you will have so much peace in your life - because peace and a positive attitude do not depend on ANY situation.

Only when your mind is open you will start to see things crystal clear.