The mind is a very powerful tool that can dictate what we are or what we can become. It has the capability to change us consciously or subconsciously. We are very often warned to be careful what we wish for because they can become a reality for us.
Having said this, the following thoughts should be discarded from our mind. They spell disaster to our personal or professional lives:
1. “I think this is good enough.” Once you get too complacent, then you stop to move on. You lose the motivation to improve yourself or the situation you are in, however mediocre it may be. Regardless of what or where you are now, there is always room for improvement if you wish to. But too much contentment may get you stuck in your life and become too lazy to persevere to grow further. Remember that in life, you cannot just stand still. You either move forward with the life’s ever flowing stream or be carried back by the under current.
2. “Why do the hard stuff when doing the easy ones is more convenient?” Unfortunately, often it is the hard stuff that benefits you most. A regular guy capable only of doing the regular tasks seldom move ahead in his personal or professional life. If you are satisfied to remain just another Tom, Dick, or Harry, you can never hope to be an Einstein or a Bill Gates. Always seeking the path of least resistance will prevent you from flexing your physical or mental muscles to be able to overcome life’s challenges to success.
3. “Please, spare me the details.” Refusing or being too lazy to learn the details of any project results in the less satisfactory performance of the task. Asking is the end of ignorance. Always ask questions on things unclear to you so you can meet the job’s requirement. Volunteer your suggestions or expertise for faster completion of the task with higher level of competence.
4. “I do not think I can do it.” If you always think you are not competent enough, not smart enough, not old enough, etc. before you even try, then you will never be qualified for anything. In most cases, these are just lame excuses to cover up laziness. If you do not believe in yourself, no one will. Your lack of self-confidence will show in your mannerisms, the way you talk, your body posture, and these will adversely affect your personal and professional advancement.
5. “No way this can work.” If you think this way even before you start the task, it really will not work. Anything you think and wish for always will have a way of coming a reality, believe it or not.
6. “I’m no good.” A bad experience will not make you a bad person for life. Carrying this heavy load of guilt will just make your life miserable unnecessarily. An unpleasant mistake or wrong-doing in the past cannot be undone but it can serve as a lesson in the future. Mistakes will benefit us because they make us humble and help us keep our feet planted firmly on the ground. They make you feel a real human with all your faults and good points. Try to apologize sincerely to those you may harmed and move on.
7. “Do you think they like me?” It is not possible to please anyone—in fact, you should not if it will mean going against what you stand for or can cause you undue misery or inconvenience. Try to be genuinely caring and pleasant to be around with but be yourself at all times. If people seem not to like you despite your effort to like them, then, that is their problem. Never give in to others’ emotional blackmail.
8. “Now is not the right time yet.” The “right time” is a myth and “tomorrow” will is always a day ahead— they will never come. This is just a reason for procrastination which is the biggest hindrance to the attainment of your goal. It is now or NEVER.
9. “I wish I were…” You will never be someone else, no matter how hard you try. Be contented with what nature has given you. You may and should improve on what you are to some degree but wishing you are what you cannot be will just lead to disappointments and frustrations. These will eventually result to your loss of self-identity and self-pride.
10. “No one loves me.” Your parents and siblings do, and so are many others, but you may too engulfed with selfishness and self-pity that you ignore them. Instead of sulking and withdrawing from the world, why not show love to others first? It could be that you do not love yourself so you feel no one loves you. What you yourself do not have, you cannot give. Also, you cannot change others but you can change yourself. Try having a sunny disposition towards others and other people’s love will shine back at you. Try to be always positive and be amazed to discover how beautiful life is!