Do You Think Motivational Thoughts?

What do motivational thoughts do? They help you take action. This isn't about positive thinking or motivating quotes. Those have their place in shaping your attitude and thinking. However, what motivates each of us is unique, so you need to have your own thoughts - those which are most effective at getting you going.

"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity" - Albert Einstein

This is a decent quote, and it may help you look at the positive side of a situation, but what if it just doesn't get you excited? Then you need to apply a little brainpower to make the idea your own. You have to make it a truly motivational thought for YOU.

Motivational Thoughts Of Your Own

"Making it your own" means experimenting with a good thought until you find a way to use it in your own recipe for motivation. Suppose, for example, you're in a difficult situation and don't feel like dealing with it. As you sit there, you play around with the idea of opportunity coming from difficulty. Fortunately, you discover that it pulls you out of your slump to think about yourself in the future, explaining to a friend how you turned the difficult situation to your advantage.

This is how you create your own motivational thoughts. Now, it might be more motivating if you imagine yourself being interviewed someday about how you overcame this difficult time. The thoughts that work for you are the thoughts you need to be thinking.

Learn Your Motivations

Experiment and get to know how your mind works. I find that beyond just thinking a thought, if I explain it to someone, I get excited. That is my own self-motivation recipe. When I feel unmotivated about writing, for example, all I explain an idea I have for some article to my wife. By the time I am done, I'm very motivated to work.

You can get creative in your motivational experiments. Maybe thinking about being poor makes you get up and get to work. If so, that is a great motivational thought. If visual thoughts are more motivating than mental conversations, then use those. See pictures in your head that get you going. Perhaps when people say you can't do something, you do whatever it takes to prove them wrong. Then it might be motivational to think about them saying you can't.

When there is a truly uninspiring task you have to do, try promising yourself a reward for completion - make it one that really means something to you. Keep that thought in your mind to keep yourself motivated. A trip to the beach and even a simple bowl of ice cream may be some of your more powerful motivational thoughts.

The Observation Cycle-You Get More of What You Are Observing

Many people often ask, "Why do I keep getting more of this (as they refer to something unwanted)?" The answer is always the same - you get what you vibrate! In other words, whatever you give your attention, energy and focus to, you'll get more of it.

I hear people say, "But I'm not giving attention, energy or focus to this and I keep attracting more of it." Or, "I know what I want, but keep attracting this (pointing to what they don't want)."

There are a few things to check out if you are curious about why you keep attracting things that you don't want - remember the answer is always the same - you get what you vibrate. So, the challenge is to find out what you are doing to create this attention, energy or focus to this issue. Here is a quick check-off list to help you determine what you might be doing to attract more of what you don't want.

(1) Are you saying what you don't want by using 'Don't', 'Not' and 'No'?
(2) Are you complaining or worrying about what you don't want?
(3) Are you observing what you don't want?

In your observation of what you don't want, in that moment, you are giving it attention, energy and focus, thus attracting more of it. Just by observing it, you are offering a matching vibration to it. And Law of Attraction which is obedient in every moment, will unfold more of that vibrational match into your life


When you open you wallet and see how much money you DO or DON'T have, then you offer the same vibration. When you open your client or customer file cabinet, you observe how many clients you DO or DON'T have, and again, in your observation you offer the same vibration, thus the observation cycle continues.

It's easy and quick to change your focus from what you DON'T want to what you do want. Each time you notice you are giving attention to what you don't want ask yourself, "So, what do I want?" Create one clear statement about what it is that you do want and spend a few moments focusing on THAT thought. You can only hold one vibration at a time and this easy exercise ensures that you are now focused on what you do want.

Remember, observing what you don't want will cause you to offer the same vibration to it and you will attract more of the same.

Observing what you DO want creates a matching vibration within you to your desire so that Law of Attraction can bring you more of the same.

Do Your Self-Realizations Quickly Fade?

As we grow, we do so in fits and starts, lurching forward then back, sometimes looking more like clowns than seekers.

Winston Churchill wrote: "Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time he will pick himself up and continue on as though nothing has happened."

We humans, in searching for success and happiness, have several great loves. One is the love of discovering new things. New places... new people... new ideas... they fascinate us.

We also love finding new ways to solve problems. If we've been suffering the indignities and inconveniences of a long-standing problem, we have an unquenchable urge to find what's causing the discomfort and fix it.

Unfortunately, an equally strong drive within our psyche is the compulsion to keep things from changing.

We love variety and change, but we also love predictability. When things start shifting in our world, we get uncomfortable; uncertain; unsure what to do next.

So with our left foot we strike out to seek change, while at the same time our right foot drags along behind us, trying with all its might to remain planted in one spot.

Often, as Churchill points out, we unquestioningly follow that urge to maintain status quo. Why? Well, it's the same reason we continue to do anything automatically -- habit.

Then how do we break the grip of habit? How do we escape the gravity well of inertia?

It's the same way we change any habit.

First step: become acutely aware of what we're doing. No habit can operate properly when we draw back the curtains of inattention.

Have you had a realization about yourself or the way you live your life? Maybe you don't want to let it drift away and become lost to you, the same way countless realizations have done before.

Then make a big production of it. Fasten your attention on it. Roll it around in your mind, play with it and explore the implications.

Don't let old habits rob you of the treasure you've found.

And that's exactly how you can stop yourself from stumbling over a truth and then continuing on as though it never happened.

A Minute of Deliberate Attraction is better than None.

Before I explain why a minute of Deliberate Attraction is better than none, I'd like to begin by giving a definition of The Law of Attraction.
Definition of the Law of Attraction: I attract to myself, whatever I give my focus, attention, or energy to; whether wanted or unwanted.

How to Make Your Self-Help Really Help

Ray was on a tear.

"All that self-help stuff is okay, I guess, but it has never worked for me. Ever." He was starting to get excited, waving his arms and pacing around.

"In fact," he went on, "it usually makes things worse for me."

I asked Ray for examples.

"Well, like, I'm out of work -- you know that, right? -- and I've wasted the last two months trying to affirm myself a job." He sat down, dejected. "Heck, it would have worked better if I'd just gone and seen about all the jobs in the classified ads or visited the employment agencies."

"You didn't physically do anything to find a job?" I asked.

"Well no," he almost shouted. "I didn't want to drain my energy away from the affirmations. I mean, that'd show a lack of faith, right?"

Ray was running a pattern I'd seen him do before.

One time he had told me about the expensive new "good luck charm" he'd ordered. Paid a couple of hundred dollars for it, so it was sure to work. But it didn't -- at least not for Ray -- and the next time I saw him, he was complaining bitterly about how he'd been "taken."

Another time, he was attending a series of classes by a rising new teacher. This also bombed.

And now Ray was telling me that, other than doing his affirmations, he'd made no physical effort to receive the benefits he was programming for -- had avoided it, in fact.

Sooner or later, everything disappointed Ray. Nothing "worked" for him.

Ever had a little of that feeling?

Now, maybe most of us are not as extreme (nor as obvious) as Ray, but we've all had times when neither our best intentions nor our best efforts were rewarded. We got no results and we didn't know why.

Well, here's the short answer: for everything that happens (or doesn't happen) to us, all the causes are within ourselves.

That may sound a little too fuzzy-edged to grab hold of, or to do anything with, so let's break it down into smaller, simpler pieces.

PIECE ONE:
What you spend your time thinking about shows up in your life.

Buddha said it.

One way or another, all the religious teachers and philosophers have said it. And virtually every successful person who ever lived has told us this.

They all told us that the thoughts we think become real and happen to us.

PIECE TWO:
Positive thinking is not just repeating some phrases over and over.

Positive thinking -- ANY thinking -- is what you're expecting to happen to you this afternoon. It's how you feel about yourself, and about me, and about your neighbors and co-workers and family members.

Your thinking is more than just words. It's your feelings. It's your attitude toward yourself and others. It's what you expect to happen to you today and next week. And it's your determination never to give up when things get tough and don't go the way you had planned.

Your thinking is far, far more than just the words you repeat.

If you see somebody at your level or below and think they're not worthy of your notice, or if you see someone richer or more successful and you feel jealous of them, then that's not positive thinking. It's negative because it's expressing feelings of lack and limitation.

PIECE THREE:
If you don't know why events happen to you, then you don't know what you're thinking.

How can you control your life if you haven't yet learned to take control of what's going on in your own head? But the sad truth is, most of us are grossly unaware of what flits around in our skulls.

The enlightened being knows what's happening in their inner landscape, and can choose thoughts, select emotions and feelings, and direct their expectations with the same ease that you and I click buttons on the remote control. That's why they seem to have the events of their life under control.

And no matter how faraway that ideal may seem, you can learn to do some of that "enlightened" stuff too.

Here's a quick tip: Reverse engineer your life.

To find out exactly what thoughts, feelings and expectations are in your mind, look around at your physical life. Painful as it may be to admit, your life is solid evidence of what's emanating from your head.

Don't like what you see? That's good. In a moment we'll learn a way to use this to our advantage
PIECE FOUR:
Accept yourself, warts, hiccups and all.

Ray was always looking for something or somebody to "save" him. He had no belief in his own power, so he constantly sought out some outside power to lean on. Something to make up for his own powerlessness. He was seeking a guru or savior when it would have been more profitable to find a mentor that he could imitate.

Of course, he unknowingly felt he was incapable of being saved, so that outside guru or lucky charm or new technique always failed him. Naturally it failed -- all of his natural, inherent power (of which he was completely unaware) was being directed by his belief in his powerlessness.

Ask Ray if he was ready to recognize his limitations, and he would talk all around the subject, telling you why this book or that amulet didn't perform as promised. It was always "their" fault, not his.

We've all done this -- every one of us -- and it's a big stumbling block. We simply hate to see ourselves as we really are.

But if you want to get past this stumbling block, you'll have to give up the concept of "fault." Their fault AND yours.

In its place, you'll need to start using "responsibility."

What's the difference? Mainly resentment and guilt.

When anybody talks about fault, don't they usually go directly from that subject to WHOSE fault it was? And how badly it inconvenienced them? There's no power in fault.

On the other hand, if you take responsibility for an event, this implies that some kind of control is possible. It's a description of who has the power and how they CHOSE to use it.

PIECE FIVE
Everyone has power, even though they don't know it.

As we saw with Ray, he was using his natural power to form his world in a backwards way, keeping himself blinded to what he was doing.

And he was doing this by assuming that the power was "out there" somewhere. He was desperately seeking something or someone to lend him that power. But it always remained out there, out of reach, outside himself.

Okay, now let's talk about getting your self-help to really start helping.

STEP 1

List what's not working. What are the things in your life that are not the way you want them? Make a list, on paper.

This is a word-map showing exactly where you're unable to feel or accept your own power.

STEP 2

Take all those items on your list and spend 5 or 10 minutes fantasizing. Imagine what it would be like if you COULD control them. What if they were working perfectly for you? How would that look and feel?

Yes, I know that life never works out that way, and this excuse or that excuse is always in the way. Never mind any of that. Just sit yourself down and do it anyway. I mean, little else is working for you, right? So what's to lose?

STEP 3

Keep doing this regularly. Don't stop at one tepid toe-in-the-water trial. Do it often and get some enthusiasm into it.

STEP 4

When you get a hunch or idea or intuition, write it down before you forget it. Then go do it. Immediately.

Again, you should ignore any fears that "this won't work either" and just go ahead and give it an honest try.

Whether one particular effort brings smashing success or turns out to be a dud, keep on doing this. It makes just as much sense to do things this way as to continue on with your other method (that wasn't working).

STEP 5

Anytime you get results, whether good, bad or indifferent - anytime anything happens - deliberately repeat to yourself, "I caused everything about this situation. Nobody else stood in my way. It was ALL my doing, from start to finish, and I'm the power here."

WILL THIS REALLY WORK?

I guarantee this method will work at least as well as what you've been doing up till now, and you may be surprised to find it working far better. Why? because you're starting to fill your mind with things you want, emotions that support you, and expectations that these good things might actually be for you.

Furthermore, you're starting to practice control over what goes careening around in your head.

And that's the biggest key of all. 

Career Move! From Shelf Filler to Manager

Are you in a dead end job? Are you fed up with low pay and long hours? Are you bored and want to do something more interesting? Do you want to be the person telling others what to do rather than being the one taking orders?

You can make it happen! if you are determined enough.

Consider the two alternatives, which one works for you?

Arrives late for work on a regular basis, usually chewing gum. Looks untidy, hair unkempt, nail varnish peeling and skirt very short. Only smiles and laughs loudly with her mates. Speaks to customers as little as possible. When asked if there is a top in another size. Answers "I don't know" or "if it isn't there we haven't got any"

Shows no interest on what needs to be done. Makes excuses to skive off when ever possible.

Does just enough to get by. Never takes the initiative. Walks past difficulties, doesn't see them or want to see them. A jar has broken leaving glass and jam all over the floor.

Is uncooperative or moody and sometimes both. Constantly complains that things aren't right, its not fair, out of order!

Boss sees no potential so takes little interest in her development. Job remains dead end, she gives little and gets no job satisfaction in return. Can't wait to leave.

What lies ahead…..another dead end job


Arrives on time, looking neat and tidy, ready for the days work. Knows the company policies about dress code and behaviour and follows them. Is always polite, friendly and professional.

Makes customers feel valued, is helpful and tries to sort out any problems. "I'll show you where they are" " They are out of stock but I can order one for you", I'll go and find out if we have any"

Is interested in how things operate. Asks relevant questions. Takes on her fair share of the work, offers to help others when it is appropriate. Takes a pride in doing things well.

Anticipates things, takes appropriate action. Thinks abut health and safety so blocks off the area and clears it up or reports it to the appropriate person.

Comes across as pleasant and professional even when having personal problems. If there is a problem, she goes to the right person, explains the difficulty and offers a suggestion about how the problem might be solved.

Goes to see the manager, expresses an interest in developing a career in the company. Asks for the opportunity for training. Takes each opportunity and makes the most of it.

Manager sees the potential invites her to join the trainee manager scheme.
Undertakes on the job training and rises through the ranks.

Manages her own store.


What do you want out of life?

Opportunities are what you make them. You have to take responsibility for your present and your future. Think about how you behave and how others see you.

If you don't like your present job think about what you really want out of life. The choice is yours!
 

Use NLP For Smoking Cessation

NLP stands for NeuroLinguistic Psychology, and many people are finding as one of the more beneficial stop smoking programs. Typically, this is one part of a bigger overall package that may include several quit smoking products and methods. While it's evident that NLP does work on some who are looking for help to stop smoking, it's also apparent that no stop smoking hypnotherapy will work unless several factors are present.

Arguably, the most important factor is a personal desire to quit smoking cigarettes. If the smoker is looking for stop smoking aids because a spouse is constantly nagging about the smell of smoke, it's unlikely that any stop smoking help is going to work. Quitting smoking has to be the smoker's desire. Look at some examples between an internal and external drive.

If the smoker is fully aware of the health risks of smoking, he or she may say it's time to quit. An internal reason to seek quit smoking help is that you (as a smoker) know you're doing harm to your body, and to your family and friends who deal with your second-hand smoke. This is an internal prompt to quit cigarette smoking. In this case, the desire is real and quit smoking hypnosis or NLP may very well be just the boost you need to successfully quit.

Another important factor in this case is that the family and friends are likely to be supportive, rather than censuring an occasional desire for a cigarette. There's typically less pressure on the smoker who's trying to quit when he has a good stop smoking support network.

Some examples of external prompting to seek some program such as stop smoking hypnosis or NLP are the spouse who is constantly nagging about the smell of smoke, or even the cost of cigarettes. While those are legitimate reasons for stopping smoking, the desire is typically not as strong and it may be more difficult for the smoker to actually quit. When the desire for a cigarette comes around (as it most likely will), the smoker with external drives to quit smoking cigarettes is more likely to choose the cigarette even though the penalties will be the cost of the cigarettes or the nagging of the spouse.

That's not to say that external prompts can't be strong enough to help the smoker quit, only that those prompts aren't as likely to succeed as if the smoker truly has the desire.

If the cost of the habit is prompting the smoker to give it up, he may find that he's not willing to pay for follow-up treatment. Many who undergo some form of hypnosis find they need additional sessions to remain strong against the desire to smoke. Hypnosis isn't a free stop smoking therapy, but then nothing (other than sheer willpower) is free. If money alone is your prompting, you have to look at the long-term effects – money you'll save over the next year, two years or longer. That might help you justify the cost of hypnosis or NLP as a resource of how to stop smoking.

One of the most important aspects of hypnosis and NLP therapies is the focus on both the physical and mental aspects of quitting smoking. Smokers who use only a stop smoking aid such as gum may find themselves longing for a cigarette simply because they feel the need to have it in their hand. Hypnosis stop smoking programs usually help deal with that part of the addiction, as well as the physical symptoms of withdrawal.