Let me (Jim Rohn) tell you what I think messes up the mind the most: doing less than you can. It causes all kinds of psychic damage. Being less than you can be–trying less than you can try–somehow damages your mind, your self-image.
Here’s what I’ve discovered: the minute you turn this cycle around and start motivating yourself, you’ll see immediate rewards. Maybe not monetary ones, not yet. But it’s how you feel about yourself that’s of the greatest value. Discover all you can do. See how much you can earn, how much you can share, how much you can start, how much you can finish, how far you can reach, and how far you can extend your influence.
Some people out there would have us believe that positive affirmation is more important than activity. Instead of doing something constructive to change their lives, they would have us repeating slogans and canned affirmations like, “Every day and in every way, I’m getting better and better.”
Well, improving our lives doesn’t just happen with wishful thinking. Getting better and better only happens with the discipline of doing better and better. Discipline is the requirement for progress. And affirmations without discipline are–in all reality–delusions.
Affirmations can be effective as long as you remember two very important rules. Number one, you should never allow affirmation to replace action. Feeling better is no substitute for doing better. And number two, whatever you choose to affirm must be the truth.
If the truth happens to be that you’re broke, the best affirmation would be to simply say, “I’m broke.” Face it. Accept it. Be responsible for it. And change it. By admitting that you’re broke, by saying it out loud, you’ll probably be disgusted enough to start thinking about how to change the situation. Anyone saying “I’m broke” with any conviction will most likely be motivated to take action.
Confronting harsh realities has an incredible effect. Confronting the truth and then disciplining yourself–instead of failing to take responsibility–inevitably leads to positive change.
Reality is always the best beginning. You see, within reality lies the possibility to create your own personal miracle. And the power of faith starts with reality. If you can bring yourself to state the truth about a situation, then, as the saying goes, the truth will set you free.
Here’s another old saying, “Faith isn’t faith unless it’s all you’re holding onto.” If your life and your circumstances have resulted in a situation that is ugly, call it ugly. If you’ve lost it all, admit that you’ve lost it all. Be responsible for it. And if faith is all you’ve got left, use it. Create your own personal miracle.
Once you understand and accept the truth, the promise of the future is freed from the shackles of deception. Once you accept the truth, the promise of the future will pull you forward.
* Source: Leading an Inspired Life by Jim Rohn