We are expert ignorers. Hey, if you practice something for 10,000 hours you become an expert, right?
Here is a scenario:
It’s late night and you’re hungry. Your stomach is growling, and even barking. There are at least a dozen thoughts are going through your mind, like, “It’s too late to eat. Just grab a half bowl of ice cream. Drink a glass of water. Eat the leftovers from dinner. There’s two pieces of pie left. I shouldn’t get up. I can’t stop thinking of food.”
Sound familiar?
Of course it does. What do we do with that info?
We act upon one or two and ignore the rest. I cover this in depth in my ebook. For the sake of brevity, I will get you started.
Let’s say we chose to ignore the cup of water and went instead for the ice cream. You finish it. You feel guilty, but you quickly get over it (ignoring the guilt) and fall fast asleep. In the morning, you think about it and feel guilty (but again, ignore it). Later, you tell a friend about it, and they help you ignore it by letting you know that it was Rocky Road.
And, that can’t be wrong.
The next night the same thing happens. We are being trained.
Life is a mental battle, whether climbing up a hill on a bike, or eating ice cream late at night.
Who wins the battle? Those who are willing to be uncomfortable. Your untrained ‘voices’ will have you taking the easiest and least painful path every time. There is good news and bad news. The bad news is that if you live by that series of voices, they will own your very life. The good news is that if you ignore those voices until they are trained, you will own your life. Mastering your mind can be done.
Practice Makes Perfect
Anything that we do with proficiency takes practice. My daughter has played piano for 11 years. She is becoming proficient. She has a way to go even now.
Fortunately, this won’t take that long.
Action Plan:
Keep a pen and paper at hand. The very next battle that rages in your mind, jot down each and every thought. Categorize these thoughts for what they are, good or bad.
For instance:
Rob wants to stay up late to watch ESPN.
Bad (voices)
You won’t be able to sleep unless you know the score.
It won’t be that long.
You can catch up the sleep missed.
What can it hurt?
etc.
Good (voices)
Sleep will serve you better.
If you can’t sleep, read until you can.
The score will not change your life.
Get up early if it’s that important.
etc.
Make your own list for the next battle to see it for what it is. Leave nothing out (important). This will help you to recognize it from the perspective of a bystander.
Carefully study both.
Take this information into your very next battle. Get it? It will become easier to ignore those voices that do not serve a higher purpose for you. If you hit a roadblock, write the next battle out. Continue to practice. What will begin to happen is that you will conquer things that you had given up on. You will realize a new found power that can open any door that previously was closed.
I know you can do it, because you do it already. It will work the other way also.
Guaranteed.
Does today have power?
Indeed, my friends…TODAY HAS POWER.
Live it LOUD!
P.S. Remember, you are the only you, you will ever have.