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STICK TO IT!
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Book information:
Excerpts from STICK TO IT!
Introduction
This is a thoughtful book, and a special one. What makes it special is you, the reader, and how you will choose to apply these ideas. Whether you bought this for yourself, or received it as a gift, you will decide how best to approach each reading. You are probably a busy person with many demands on
your time, but this book is designed with that in mind. Each essay or quotation is just a small, single thought, yet they do hold the promise of something larger; that all depends on you.I have attempted to present my ideas in a light and simple manner, but you will find worthy lessons if you take the time to look for them. While this is original material, many of these thoughts will seem familiar. No doubt, you’ve thought about these concepts before, and faced similar experiences, but perhaps my approach will offer a new perspective.
You know as well as I, that a thoughtful and consciously considered life is richer, fuller, and inherently more satisfying than an unconsidered one. Each item in this book represents a small, separate dimension of life; intricate components that make up the whole of existence. Each is worth examining in depth.
I hope you will read, reread, reflect upon, and revisit the ideas that touch your heart. My hope is that this book gives you numerous ideas and insights to explore, expand upon, and apply in your life. I also hope the message, STICK TO IT! will encourage you to persist as you live, learn, grow, and face new adventures and challenges. Read and enjoy!
It All Begins With Attitude
Much has been written about the importance of attitude, and most of us realize that our attitude affects the kinds of decisions we make and the actions we take. Some people tend to see the positive side of a situation while others view the negative.
How about you? How has your attitude affected the kinds of decisions you’ve made in your life, and the relationships you’ve established and maintained? I am convinced that life is 80% attitude and 20% technique; if your attitude is in the right place, you’ll make the right decisions. If you have a positive
attitude, the right words will come out of your mouth.We all know that, basically, we get out of life what we expect and, of course, our attitude influences our expectations. What expectations do you have about yourself and your world? What attitude adjustments might you need to make in order to improve your outlook?
If you want to be more positive, start using positive words rather than negative ones. Smile more. Make it a habit to compliment others rather than criticize. And look on the optimistic side of a situation. Develop an attitude of gratitude. Celebrate what you have, and help others look on the
bright side as well. You know that what you give out will come back to you. Attitude: it’s the perfect place to begin!A crisis is simply an opportunity to practice what you preach.
Fear: It’s Nothing To Be Afraid Of
We all have things we’re afraid of. Fear is a common and basic emotion. We may fear rejection, embarrassment, abandonment, failure, and maybe even success. Yes, there will always be things we fear, but to what extent will we let it influence us? You can let fear control you, or you can control your fear and take action anyway. This distinction is important because fear can literally immobilize us. We might use it as an excuse to give up, or worse, to not even try.
When I started college, after having dropped out of high school not once but twice, I was terrified. I had no idea if I could succeed and dreaded the possibility of failing one more time. Just walking onto the campus was intimidating, and part of me wanted to run away. But I attended class every day, studied hard in spite of my fears, and graduated with honors. I learned that achieving something new requires stretching your capabilities; that one can only build self-confidence by first laying it on the line.
To experience success, you must first place yourself in a situation where failure is one of the possibilities. It feels great knowing you faced your fears squarely and took action in spite of how you felt. You’ve done this before, and you can do it again. Keep reminding yourself that every time you risk failure, you are also risking success!
When we act out of fear we often create the very outcome we’re trying to avoid.
It’s All In Your Mind
You may already know that you talk to yourself and conduct lengthy internal dialogues about virtually everything that happens to you. Without saying a word aloud, you continually interpret events. You judge, appraise, compliment, or criticize yourself and others every day. It’s called self-talk.
Is your self-talk constructive or destructive? Start listening to what you say to yourself. This is important because it is your thoughts that create your reality. If you think things are awful, horrible, and you just can’t handle it, you will feel like a victim of circumstances. If, on the other hand, you view a situation as admittedly difficult but, with effort, ultimately doable, you encourage yourself to be a victor. Put simply, how you talk to yourself is entirely up to you. You can create healthy, encouraging self-talk or you can make yourself miserable; it’s your call.
For it is not what actually happens to you, it’s how you define it internally that counts. If you realize you are engaging in negative, defeatist self-talk, replace it with positive, hopeful dialogue. If you find yourself feeling inadequate or incapable, tell yourself that you can do it. Because you can. Even if your life does become temporarily disrupted, positive self-talk can help you put it all back together again. It’s all there; in your mind.
Your mind is the key through which you unlock all your potential.
Switching Channels
When you’re driving down the road and a song comes on the radio, if it’s one you hate, what do you do? Switch stations? That’s a common practice when listening to the radio or watching TV, but how about in life? Do you exercise the same option when things pop into your mind or do you allow yourself to be victimized by whatever comes along? When negative or undermining thoughts stream into your mind, you don’t have to let these insidious thought waves take over. You can switch "mental stations."
Your self-talk patterns affect how you feel and act; the thoughts you create and repeat over and over again shape your self-esteem and emotional well-being. And you can consciously choose the specific program you want to hear. You can literally select the thoughts you want to focus on.
I can attest that my self-talk is markedly different today than when my self-esteem was low and I allowed negative thinking patterns to dominate. Things changed drastically once I realized I could reset my "mental dial".The next time an undermining or negative thought comes into your head, consciously replace it with a positive one. Your ability to switch mental stations guarantees you’ll keep your thoughts on the proper wave length. Stay tuned!
Choose to live consciously and deliberately; some people cruise through life on automatic pilot.
