Practical optimism – Practical attraction
Whether you think you can or think you can’t, either way you are right.
– Henry Ford
The most important conversation we are having is the conversation with ourselves.
If we want to improve the quality of our lives…improve the conversation!
Robert Maurer, the Director of Behavioral Science at UCLA Medical School conducted groundbreaking work in success. He clinically isolated the four behaviors that are common to people who are succeeding in every significant area of their lives.
One of the behaviors involves our inner voice.
He tells us,
“Successful people have an inner voice that, when frightened, automatically reassures us that it is OK to make mistakes, OK to be human and OK to ask for help.”
Based on science and research, the most important moment that separates successful people from failure are the moments when we get frightened and whether we respond in positive ways.
According to The Law of Attraction, every word we use defines the world around us.
This isn’t anything new – Winston Churchill regularly said, “You create your own universe as you go along.”
The Law of Attraction isn’t hocus-pocus.
The Law of Attraction offers a choice in how we intend to use our time.
When we incorporate the law as a cornerstone in the practice of optimism, we write out negative and positive outcomes of the truth. Like Henry Ford, either way – we’re right.
One of the reasons the Law of Attraction often gets a bad rap is there are so many versions that fit the dogma and peculiar customs of tribes. One version is nice. Another is pure fantasy. At Inspired Work, we use the practical version. In other words, we use language anyone can understand.
Let’s take a look at a nice version: “I live in the glow of oneness.”
Feels good. But is this someone I want to say that to a client?
The metaphysical world uses its own separatist language, which brings us to the fantasy version of The Law of Attraction:
How many of us have met someone who can’t pay the gas fill and he or she is using affirmations such as, “I am wealthy beyond my wildest dreams. I live in opulence and abundance?”
Language such as this is very similar to hope, distracting us from the very actions that will make us wealthy.
Practical use of The Law of Attraction is quite simple. Give it five minutes in the morning and it will help any of us stay more rooted in the mission and actions that form the lives we are meant to have.
Take a piece of paper. Draw a vertical line down the middle. At the top of the left column write a negative sign and write a plus sign on the right. Take anything that is bothering you or causing worry. Write out everything negative about it. On the right side, write out the exact opposite. However, it must be written in a way where the brain will buy it.
Let’s use the example of the individual who can’t pay the gas bill. This person might write on the left, “I’m stressed out with finances and can’t pay the gas bill.”
The exact opposite isn’t “I’m richer than ever.” It is the exact behavioral opposite.
So, we might write:
“Today, I center my energy on creating revenue for the business.”
“I am in the process of becoming wealthy.”
“I approach the sales prospects that intimidate me with enthusiasm.”
As we finish our two columns we cross out the negative column and shape the positive comments into a statement for the day.
This is a simple exercise that can help resolve complicated problems.
Because, even if we are one of the most mentally and emotionally healthy people on the face of the earth, getting focused will help us build optimistic energy as we hit the morning traffic jam, run into that awful co-worker, find the market changed over night, that very important business meeting canceled due to the flu – on and on.
In our employee engagement and leadership programs, we offer up an organizational version, a five-minute ritual that answers questions like:
“How can I move my mission forward today?”
“Which team member needs my attention? Mentorship? Praise?”
“What is the most valuable risk I could take today?”
Practicing The Law of Attraction only takes a few minutes a day.
We find that Michael J. Losier’s book, “Law of Attraction – The Science of What You Want and Less of What You Don’t” offers the best practice application of “the law.” It is available on Amazon.Com for less than the price of a nice lunch.
Useful?
Absolutely.
Because if you forget where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.
All the best.