Your mind is a very powerful thing, and most of us take it for granted. We believe we aren't in control of what we think because our thoughts seem to fly in and out all day long. But you are in control of your thoughts, and you become what you think about. And that little kernel of truth is the secret power of the mind.
It's really not a secret after all. The power is available to every single person, including you. And it's free.
"The secret" is that you are what you think. You become what you think about. You can create the life you want, simply by thinking the right thoughts.
Earl Nightingale on "The Strangest Secret"
In 1956, Earl Nightingale wrote "The Strangest Secret" in an attempt to teach people the power of the mind, the power of thought. He said, "you become what you think about all day long."
Nightingale's inspiration came from Napoleon Hill's book, "Think and Grow Rich," published in 1937.
For 75 years (and likely long before that), this simple "secret" has been taught to adults around the world. At the very least, the knowledge has been available to us.
How the Power of the Mind Can Work to Improve Your Life
We are creatures of habit. We tend to follow the picture in our minds created by our parents, our neighborhoods, our towns and the part of the world from which we come. For good or for bad.
But we don't have to. We each have a mind of our own, capable of imagining life the way we want it. We can say yes or no to the million choices we each encounter every single day. Sometimes it's good to say no, of course, or we wouldn't get anything at all done. But the most successful people say yes to life overall. They are open to possibilities. They believe they have the power to make changes in their lives. They aren't afraid to try new things or to fail.
In fact, many of the most successful companies reward people who have the courage to try new things, even if they fail, because the things we call failures often turn into extremely successful things. Did you know Post-It Notes were a mistake in the beginning?
How to Use the Power of Your Mind
Start imagining your life the way you want it. Create a picture in your mind and think about that picture steadfastly all day long. Believe in it.
You don't have to tell anybody. Have your own quiet confidence that you can make the picture in your mind come true.
You will start making different choices in line with your picture. You will take small steps in the right direction.
You'll also encounter obstacles. Don't let these obstacles stop you. If you hold your picture of the life you want steadfast in your mind, you will eventually create that life.
What have you got to lose? Close your eyes and start now.
You will become what you think about.
Understanding positive thinking and self-talk
Positive thinking doesn't mean that you keep your head in the sand and ignore life's less pleasant situations. Positive thinking just means that you approach unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way. You think the best is going to happen, not the worst.
Positive thinking often starts with self-talk. Self-talk is the endless stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head. These automatic thoughts can be positive or negative. Some of your self-talk comes from logic and reason. Other self-talk may arise from misconceptions that you create because of lack of information.
If the thoughts that run through your head are mostly negative, your outlook on life is more likely pessimistic. If your thoughts are mostly positive, you're likely an optimist — someone who practices positive thinking.
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