Everyone gets a little overwhelmed at times – especially at work. When things just aren’t going right, all of us sometimes get caught up in the trap of blaming others for things that we have control over. So the next time you feel like complaining, make sure you look the main culprit for most of your problems right in the eye … but remember to hold the mirror straight when you do it.
Because the one person that holds the key to YOUR happiness and success is YOU!
According to Gail Cohen, noted author and self-motivation expert, people have more power to eliminate the self-doubt that limits their drive to succeed than they think. Unfortunately, they’re so wrapped up into what they can’t do, they forget about what they CAN do.
Cohen says that it’s all a matter of changing our “Attitude and Perspective” and how they relate to our behavior and reaching our personal best. Cohen believes that the people most likely to succeed are the ones who will take criticism and act upon it.
In other words, the boss that’s always nagging on you for something, may NOT just be a pain in your behind. He or she may be one of the best things that ever happened to you.
But you have to change your Perspective from “Y’know, he’s right. I am a big screw-up. I think I’ll just sit in my little gray cubicle and hide from everyone now,” to “Y’know, he’s right. I did mess this up. Now, how can I make sure I never do this again!”
Cohen says that most unhappy workers don’t dare to dream about something better. They just resign themselves to the fact that this is their lot in life … a notion Cohen disagrees with emphatically.
To prove her point, she relays an exercise that many super-successful people do that sound simple, but can profoundly change your life for the better.
Say the following phrase out loud several times: I CAN HAVE THAT WHICH I TRULY WANT! Repeat this mantra at least twice a day, preferably when you first get up in the morning, and right before you go to sleep at night. Now comes the hard part. Say this phrase every day for the rest of your life! (Ah … did you roll your eyes at that? If so, you’re defeating yourself before you even start.)
Repeating this phrase works on the power of belief, and Cohen says that your beliefs become your reality. She says it’s like the stone that has a small trickle of water running over it … after time, the water alters the appearance of the stone. Even your most negative thoughts (your rock) will yield to the steady stream of positive attitude over time.
To learn more about how to reverse negative thinking and find the success you’re dreaming of, check out How To Reach Your Personal Best, a set of audio CDs by Gail Cohen and available through the “Products” section of our web site. Also available on cassette.
(PDF format)