Mind over Matter

As a man thinks in his heart so he is.

“All that we are is a result of what we have thought.” Buddha (563BCE – 483BCE)

“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955)

“…..what we are will be the result of previous years of self-discpline.” ~ Henry Parry Liddon

“An invincible determination can accomplish almost anything and in this lies the great distinction between great men and little men.” ~ Dr. Thomas Fuller

“There is no chance, no destiny, no fate that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.” ~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox

“Vividly picture yourself winning, and that alone will contribute immeasurably to success. Great living starts with a picture, held in your imagination, of what you would like to do or be.” – Harry Emerson Fosdick

“You’ve go to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.” ~ George Lorimer

“We are told never to cross the bridge until we come to it, but this world is owned by men who have ‘crossed brigdes’ in their imagination far ahead of the crowd.” - Anonymous

"The Potential Of The Human Mind Is Subject To, And Limited Only By,Our Individual Beliefs or Un-belief As To Whether We Can Accomplish A Thing Or Not." -Chuck Danes

"Men and women are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds. - Franklin D. Roosevelt

From a more physical perspective, the only thing that separates a healthy well-toned body from an obese, or ordinary looking one is the ability to conceive it in mind, an awareness of how to accomplish it, a belief that he/she can, and/or the willingness to take the action necessary to achieve it.

The only thing that limits anyone from accomplishing anything that they can conceive in mind is a missing ingredient from the following equation:

Awareness + Desire + Belief + Action = Unlimited Capability

The reason I have posted some of these famous sayings is because this is true of 90% of people in this world. I was one of them. I still today I have to remind myself constantly to think right thoughts about myself. I do not allow my mind to entertain thoughts that are negative. I immediately recognize those thoughts and replace them with the right thoughts. This takes practice. Because sometimes you don’t even realize that your thoughts are spiraling out of control. But the minute you realize it, you need to stop those thoughts and think other thoughts. And like I said, the only way to master this, is through PRACTICE, PRACTICE AND MORE PRACTICE. ;-)

So when you getting ready to go to the gym:

• Think good thoughts about yourself.

• Paint good pictures about yourself, how you look and how you want to look, in your mind.

• Visualize yourself achieving the body you want. See yourself, how you want to look, in your mind.

• Keep that picture in your mind – don’t let go of it. Keep it there, let it slip. Get pictures of yourself where you were looking good and stick them up on your mirror or get pictures of people whose fitness level you want to achieve and stick their photos up. Do what it takes to keep reminding yourself of the picture in your mind you want to achieve.

• Think that you are going to have a great session in the gym and you are going to give it your all

• Recognize negative thoughts like for example: “Look how big and ugly my tummy looks. Its impossible to loose so much. Recognize that thought. Stop it. And replace it immediately with: “I am going to have a flat tummy within 3 months and I know I can do it and I am going to give it 100%”

• Never believe and ponder on other people’s thoughts and words about you. Your thoughts are what count. Don’t allow their negative words about you to become your thoughts about you. Stop those thoughts. Forget about their words. And focus on your thoughts. Create new thoughts about you. Every you sense those negative thoughts coming back. Block them immediately! And then quickly replace the thoughts with the thoughts you want to think – Good thoughts. Example of good thoughts – “I am fit and healthy”, “I am the best” and so on. This takes practice – so start now.

• Visualize yourself being fit. Example of this: Create a movie in your mind of yourself doing the exercises with ease and having the body of your dreams. You need to practice making these movies in your mind.

• Load your iPod or MP3 play with music that inspires and motivates you.

• Speak and listen to people that inspire and motivate you.

• Go out shopping and buy a new pair of sneakers or tracksuit that will inspire and motivate you.

• Watch inspirational movies, TV shows, or sports biographies

• Don’t hang out with friends, family members or work colleagues that constantly belittle you and say negative things to and about you. Cut them off. You don’t need them if that is their attitude towards you.

• Practice thinking good thoughts about you.

• Say positive things. Be positive in your attitude. Let your conversation with others always be positive.

• Encourage others. When you see them doing well, encourage them. When you do for others, you are actually doing more for yourself than you actually know. Don’t ask me how it works. It just does.

• Always have something kind to say to someone. “Kindness in words creates confidence, kindness in thinking creates profoundness, kindness in feeling creates love” – Lao Tzu
  ”Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless” ~ Mother Teresa

• Put your thoughts into action.

• Learn to quiet your mind. Learn to be still and still your thoughts. Start with 5 minutes a day and practice until you are able to do it for 30 minutes or more a day. Do this preferably in the early mornings. You will be AMAZED after a few days how your life changes.

• Get yourself to the gym!!! Even if you have to crawl there. - “Eighty percent of success is showing up.” ~ Woody Allen

• Remember that power comes from within. You can create the power from within you by simply doing the points listed above.

  Now read this by Dr. Phil McGraw:

  “You are your own most important resource for making your life work. Life rewards action. Until your knowledge, awareness, insights and understandings are translated into action, they are of no value.” ~ Dr Phil McGraw

  Stay motivated and inspired. Make sure when you get up in the morning that you are motivated and inspired. And when you sleep at night you are motivated and inspired. Read these sayings below as often as possible (because when the going gets tough, its what you have filled yourself up with, that will ultimately come out when you need it most – so fill and build yourself up with strong, positive thoughts) :
  
  “Motivation gets you going and habit gets you there. Make motivation a habit and you will get there more quickly and have more fun on the trip” ~ Zig Ziglar

  “Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal, a commitment to excellence that will enable you to attain the success you seek.” ~ Mario Andretti

  “Unless you’re willing to have a go, fail miserably, and have another go, success won’t happen.” ~ Phillip Adams

  “Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough” ~ Og Mandino

  “Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. It I quit, however, it lasts forever.” ~ Lance Armstrong

  “Those who don’t understand determination call determination stubbornness or too driven. To be determined is to see it through!” ~ Catherine Pulsifer

  “It water derives lucidity from stillness, how much more the faculties of the mind! The mind of the sage, being in repose, becomes the mirror of the universe, the speculum of all creation.” ~ Chuang Tzu

  “I do not think there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.” ~ John D. Rockefeller

  “What we do not see, what most of us never suspect of existing, is the silent but irresistible power which comes to the rescue of those who fight on in the face of discouragement.” ~ Napoleon Hill

  “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt