“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude;
Nothing can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”
-Thomas Jeff erson-
What is your first impression when you read this and what does
this quote mean to you? How did he know this so very long ago?
Clearly, the benefits of his words have been around for a long time
and yet so many people fail to live by them. Your own mental mindset
(attitude) is the main diff erence between success and failure, between
having a fair life and a fabulous one. So, in order to have a fabulous life,
you need to learn how to manage your thinking.
“The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your
thoughts; therefore guard yours accordingly.” -Marcus Aurelius-
How could people have discovered this so long ago and so many
not know it today? What is the quality of your thoughts? Do you think
the best or worst when a challenge presents itself? Recite this simple
phrase, or print it and tape it where you can see it every day/week.
Today I know begins with each and every “thought”;
I am going to be optimistic as nothing will make me distraught.
Please be the wind beneath my wings so I can fl y high like a bird,
By being extremely attentive to what I say with each and every “word”.
When confronted I need to be careful to respond and not have a reaction,
For what quickly crosses my lips will ultimately be put right into “action”.
When my positivity rules the day it can and will multiply just like rabbits,
As these things we say/do/feel ultimately become our personal “habits”.
In the long run these daily eff orts will pay off of that I am very sure,
As responding to life’s challenges will always build upon my “character”.
I know it takes work and will take a great deal of extra eff ort from me,
But in the end this daily discipline will become my mental “destiny”.
Wayne L. Rickman April 26, 2013
If I could, I would have awarded my father with an honorary Ph.D.
in Positivity as he has the amazing ability to fi nd something good in
everyone and everything. Whenever anyone asks him ‘how are you
today,’ he gives the same answer? I am just south of great! Having a
great attitude was a daily goal of his and saying he is just south means as
good as it is it still needs work. This was especially true in the later years
of his life. You need to see and remember that we do get to “choose”
every day what our frame of mind is in every situation. No matter how
educated or uneducated you may be - no matter how old or how young
you may be - to succeed in life at any level consistently must instill in
yourself this fundamental DNA. What are you doing every single day
to make certain you have the best possible mental mindset? It does not
come easy, it takes a great deal of personal discipline, but I promise once
you get to fabulous you will never want to go back as everything is life
will smell, taste, and feel better when positive.
Defining success is important, but taking a clear-eyed look at the
impact of your personal defi nition matters even more. As in most things
your intent is important but the end results provide the real answers to
how we can all become more fabulous every day.
If helping others through social work is your personal defi nition of
success, for example, you may make a decent living but you won’t get
rich... and you must embrace that fact. If you’re happy, you have and
that is all that really matters.
If building a $100 million company is your defi nition of success,
you can have a family but it will be almost improbable to have a rich,
full engaged family life as success has a price... and you must embrace
that fact. If you’re happy, you have. So forget traditional definitions of
success. Forget what other people think/say. Ask yourself if you feel
happy -- not just at work, not just at home, not just in those fl eeting
moments when you do something just for yourself, but overall. If you
are, you’re successful. The happier you are the more successful you are.
If you aren’t happy it’s time to rethink how you defi ne success, and
start making changes to your professional and personal life that align
with that defi nition, because what you’re doing now isn’t working for
you. And life is way too short for that.
What does success mean to you? Not some general textbook or
online defi nition of success. If asked what do you and your family life
look like when you are successful? Have you yet developed a strong
written vision statement of what you will look like when you are truly
successful? Th is will help you step into becoming that person in your
imagination’s shoes. When you do then and only then you will start
living life as a success.