Latest / The Growth Mindset Book Podcast: Ideas That Change the Way You Think / The Law of Attraction: Are You Focused on What You Want?

Transcript

The Law of Attraction: Are You Focused on What You Want? · The Growth Mindset Book Podcast: Ideas That Change the Way You Think

• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: Have you ever noticed that sometimes the things we spend the most time thinking about are the very things we don't want in our lives?
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, think about that for a moment.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: How often do you find yourself thinking about something you're worried about, something that might go wrong, or something you wish were different?
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: And here's what's interesting.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: We can spend hours thinking about those things without even realizing we're doing it.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: Well, today I want to share something with you that I think you're really going to enjoy because it might completely change the way you look at your thoughts and more importantly, what you're doing with them.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: I've been reading a wonderful guide by Jack Canfield called Activating the Law of Attraction.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: Now, you may recognize Jack's name from Chicken Soup for the Soul, The Success Principles, or the movie The Secret.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: And what I really like about this particular guide is how he takes something that people sometimes make very complicated and explains it in a way that anybody can understand.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: And that's exactly what I want to do with you today.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: I don't want you to just listen to another podcast and think, well, that was interesting.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to walk away with something you can actually use in your life.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: Because what good is learning something if we never do anything with it?
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: Does that make sense?
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: So let me ask you a question.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: If I were sitting across from you right now and asked you to tell me five things you don't want in your life, how quickly could you come up with them?
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: Probably pretty quickly, right?
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: You don't want financial problems, you don't want stress, you don't want to be unhappy, you don't want to have problems in your relationships, and you certainly don't want to feel like you're working hard every day and getting nowhere.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, great.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: Now let me ask you something else.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: What do you want?
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't mean what you don't want.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: I mean what do you really want?
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: What would your life look like if things were going exactly the way you'd love them to go?
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: How would you feel when you woke up in the morning?
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: What would your relationships look like?
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: What would you be doing with your time?
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: You see, there's a reason I'm asking you these questions.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: Because one of the first things Jack talks about is the importance of becoming very clear about what you want, rather than spending all your time thinking about what you don't want.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: And I love the example he uses.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine getting into your car, turning on your GPS, and telling it all the places you don't want to go.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: You don't want to go to New York, you don't want to go to Boston, you don't want to go to Philadelphia.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: Well, that's wonderful, but where do you want to go?
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: The GPS can't give you directions until you tell it your destination.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_00: Now, isn't that interesting?
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: Because how many of us are going through life doing essentially the same thing?
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_00: We know everything we want to get away from, but we haven't taken the time to decide exactly where we want to go.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: And that's where this whole conversation begins.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: Jack breaks the law of attraction down into three simple steps.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: Ask, believe, and receive.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: And I want to walk through each one with you because when you understand how they fit together, I think you'll begin looking at your thoughts, your beliefs, and your actions a little differently.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: Now, before we get into those three steps, let me explain what Jack means by the law of attraction.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: He teaches that our thoughts and feelings carry energy or vibration, and that we attract experiences that are in harmony with that energy.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: That's the philosophy behind the book.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: It's important to understand that the idea of thoughts literally attracting outside events through vibration hasn't been scientifically established.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: But whether you approach this spiritually or look at the very real ways our thoughts influence our expectations, our decisions, and our behavior, there are some wonderful lessons we can take from what Jack is teaching.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: And the first one is something I think most of us could get a whole lot better at.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: Becoming clear about what we actually want.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: Let me give you an example.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine somebody comes to you and says, I'm so tired of struggling financially.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: I don't want to worry about money anymore.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I understand that.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: Nobody wants to worry about money.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: But what does that person actually want?
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: Do they want to earn another$1,000 a month?
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_00: Do they want to pay off their debt?
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: Do they want to have six months of expenses sitting in a savings account?
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_00: Do they want to build a business that gives them more freedom?
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: You see, those are very different things.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: And here's my question.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_00: How are you supposed to begin creating a plan for something when you haven't decided exactly what that something is?
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: That's why I think clarity is so important.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: And Jack encourages us to begin by noticing the things we don't want and then using those things to identify what we do want.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_00: So let's say you don't want to feel stressed all the time.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, what do you want instead?
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you want to feel peaceful, relaxed, and in control of your day.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you want to have more time for the people you love.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you want to wake up excited about what you're going to do rather than feeling overwhelmed before the day even begins.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: Now we're getting somewhere, aren't we?
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: Because we've taken something negative and turned it into something we can actually work toward.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: And I want you to notice something.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: Nothing about your circumstances has necessarily changed yet.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_00: You still have the same responsibilities, the same bills, and the same things you need to deal with.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_00: But you've begun changing the direction of your attention.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of simply thinking about what you want to escape, you're beginning to think about what you'd like to create.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_00: And that brings me to something else Jack talks about that I find really interesting.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: The things we're exposing ourselves to every day.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: Let me ask you something.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: What are you feeding your mind?
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_00: Think about that.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: When you wake up in the morning, what's the first thing you do?
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: Do you grab your phone and start reading the news?
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_00: Do you start checking emails?
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: Do you immediately begin thinking about everything that needs to get done?
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_00: And how much of what you're exposing yourself to is actually helping you feel the way you'd like to feel.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I'm not suggesting we ignore what's happening in the world, and I'm certainly not suggesting we pretend that problems don't exist.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_00: But I do think it's worth asking whether we're spending so much time paying attention to everything that's wrong that we're overlooking what's right.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine two people waking up on exactly the same morning.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: One immediately starts thinking about everything they have to do, everything they're worried about, and everything that might go wrong.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: The other spends a few minutes thinking about what they're grateful for, what they're looking forward to, and what they'd love to accomplish that day.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: Now, which person do you think is more likely to begin their morning feeling good?
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_00: Probably the second person, right?
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: And what's interesting is that they haven't changed the world around them.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_00: They've simply begun their day with a different focus.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: That's something we can all do.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_00: Now, Jack also talks about worry, and I love the way he explains it.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_00: He describes worry as a form of negative goal setting.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_00: Isn't that an interesting way to look at it?
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: Think about what happens when you're worried about something.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_00: Let's say you've got an important meeting coming up and you're concerned it might not go well.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: What do you start doing?
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: You imagine the meeting going badly.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: You imagine saying the wrong thing.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: You imagine the other person being unhappy with you.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_00: And before you've even walked into the room, you've already started experiencing the feelings associated with something that hasn't happened.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_00: Now, here's my question.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: If you can use your imagination to make yourself feel worried about something that hasn't happened, couldn't you also use that same imagination to feel excited about something wonderful that hasn't happened yet?
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_00: What if, instead of imagining the meeting going badly, you spent a few minutes imagining yourself walking into that room feeling confident, having a wonderful conversation, and walking out knowing you did a great job.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: Wouldn't that be a much better way to prepare yourself?
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_00: Now, does imagining a successful meeting guarantee that it's going to happen?
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: Of course not.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_00: But don't you think it could influence how you feel when you walk into that room?
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: And don't you think the way you feel could influence the way you communicate?
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_00: That's the practical power of directing your attention toward what you want.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_00: And now we come to the second step, which is believe.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_00: I want to spend some time here because I think this is where things get really interesting.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_00: Have you ever wanted something so badly, but deep down you weren't really sure you could have it?
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you wanted to start a business, but you kept thinking, I don't know if I could do that.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you wanted to become a better speaker, but you were telling yourself, I'm just not good in front of people.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe you wanted to improve your financial situation, but you kept thinking, I've never been very good with money.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: Now let me ask you something.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: Where did those beliefs come from?
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_00: Were you born believing you weren't good with money?
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_00: Were you born believing you weren't a confident speaker?
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_00: Were you born believing you couldn't build a successful business?
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_00: Of course not.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: Somewhere along the way, you had experiences.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe somebody said something to you.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you tried something and it didn't work out, and you began developing an idea about what you were capable of doing.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: And over time, that idea became something you believed about yourself.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: But here's what I find so fascinating.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_00: Just because you've believed something for a long time doesn't necessarily make it true.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_00: Think about that for a moment.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: What if some of the things you've been telling yourself for years aren't actually facts?
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: What if they're simply conclusions you've reached based on experiences you've had?
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_00: And what if those conclusions are keeping you from even attempting something you might be perfectly capable of doing?
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_00: Let me give you an example.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine somebody who believes they're terrible at meeting new people.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_00: Every time they get invited to a party or a networking event, they immediately start thinking, oh boy, I hate these things.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: I never know what to say, I'm going to feel uncomfortable.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: Well, how do you think they're going to feel when they walk through the door?
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_00: Probably uncomfortable, right?
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_00: And what do you think they might do?
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe they stand off to the side.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe they avoid introducing themselves to people.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe they leave early because they're not enjoying themselves.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: And then afterward, what do they say?
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: See, I told you I'm not good at meeting people.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_00: But let me ask you something.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_00: Did that experience prove they weren't capable of becoming comfortable around new people?
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_00: Or did they simply behave in a way that was consistent with what they already believed about themselves?
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_00: Do you see the difference?
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_00: Now, imagine that same person begins changing the way they think about themselves.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of saying, I'm terrible at meeting people, they begin saying, you know what?
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_00: I'm getting better at meeting people.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_00: I enjoy learning about others.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_00: And every time I have a conversation, I'm becoming more comfortable.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_00: And then they actually start practicing.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_00: They introduce themselves to somebody.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: They ask a few questions.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_00: They listen.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_00: They have a nice conversation.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_00: And the next time they go to an event, they do it again.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_00: Now, what's happening?
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_00: They're beginning to create experiences that support a completely different belief about themselves.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_00: And that's something I really want you to understand.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_00: Belief and action can work together.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_00: You begin developing a different belief, that belief encourages you to take different actions, and those actions can give you new experiences that reinforce what you're beginning to believe.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: Isn't that exciting?
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_00: Because it means that the person you've always believed yourself to be doesn't necessarily have to be the person you remain for the rest of your life.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_00: Now, there's something else Jack teaches that I think is incredibly important.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_00: And I want to make sure we don't miss this, because sometimes people misunderstand the law of attraction and think it's simply about sitting around imagining wonderful things happening.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_00: Jack talks about taking action, and he actually makes a distinction between two kinds of action, obvious action and inspired action.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_00: Let me explain what he means.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: Let's say your goal is to become a doctor.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_00: Well, there are some pretty obvious things you've got to do, aren't there?
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_00: You've got to go to school, you've got to study, you've got to learn the skills, you've got to do the work.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_00: You can't just sit on your couch imagining yourself wearing a white coat and expect to wake up tomorrow morning with a medical degree.
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_00: That would be wonderful, wouldn't it?
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_00: But that's not how it works.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_00: You've got to take action.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_00: And Jack calls that obvious action.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_00: But then he talks about something he calls inspired action.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_00: And I think you're really going to enjoy this part.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_00: Have you ever been doing something completely ordinary?
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe driving down the road or taking a shower, and suddenly an idea pops into your head.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you think, you know what?
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_00: I should call that person.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe you suddenly think of a solution to something you've been trying to figure out for weeks.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_00: Have you ever had that happen?
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_00: Of course you have.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_00: Well, Jack encourages us to pay attention to those ideas and act on them when they make sense.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's such a valuable lesson.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_00: Because how many times have you had a wonderful idea and done absolutely nothing with it?
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_00: You think about making a phone call, but you get busy and forget.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_00: You think about starting something new, but you tell yourself you'll do it next week.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_00: You think about reaching out to somebody, but you never get around to it.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_00: And here's what I want you to think about.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_00: What opportunities might you have missed simply because you didn't act on an idea?
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe that phone call could have led to a wonderful conversation.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe that conversation could have led to a new opportunity.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe that opportunity could have changed the direction of your business or even your life.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_00: But you'll never know if you don't take action.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_00: And that's why I love this part of Jack's teaching.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_00: He wants us to become clear about what we want, develop belief, and then actually do something with the ideas and opportunities that come our way.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_00: Now, let me ask you something else.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_00: Do you need to know every single step before you begin moving towards something you want?
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_00: Of course not.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_00: Think about the GPS example we talked about earlier.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_00: When you get into your car and enter a destination, does the GPS require you to memorize every turn before you start driving?
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_00: No.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_00: It tells you where to go first.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_00: And once you get there, it gives you the next direction.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_00: Well, isn't that a useful way to think about pursuing a goal?
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes we're so concerned about not knowing exactly how everything is going to work out that we never take the first step.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_00: But what if you just began?
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_00: What if you took the first step, learned something from that experience, and then figured out the next step?
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_00: You might discover that the path becomes clearer as you move forward.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_00: And that brings us to the third step Jack teaches, which is receive.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this is where he talks about becoming a vibrational match for what you want.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_00: And I know that phrase might sound a little unusual, so let's talk about what he means.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_00: Jack uses the example of a radio.
• 17:55
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine you've got a radio and you want to listen to a particular station.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_00: Well, you've got to tune the radio to that station, right?
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_00: You can't expect to hear the music you want if you've got the dial set somewhere completely different.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_00: Jack uses that example to describe his belief that our thoughts and feelings have a vibrational quality and that we can bring ourselves into harmony with the things we desire.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_00: Now that's the spiritual explanation he's presenting.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_00: We don't have scientific evidence that our emotions literally tune us to frequencies that cause specific events to arrive in our lives.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_00: But I think there's a really useful lesson we can take from the example, and it's this the way you feel can influence the way you show up in the world.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_00: Let me give you an example.
• 18:46
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine somebody who walks around all day angry, frustrated, and expecting the worst from everybody they meet.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_00: How do you think they interact with people?
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_00: Are they warm?
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_00: Are they welcoming?
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_00: Do they seem excited about life?
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_00: Probably not.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_00: Now imagine somebody who genuinely appreciates the people around them.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_00: Somebody who's enthusiastic, kind, and interested in others, somebody who tends to look for the good in situations.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_00: How do you think that person interacts with the world?
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_00: And how do you think other people might respond to them?
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_00: Do you see what I'm getting at?
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_00: The way we think and feel can influence our behavior, and our behavior can influence the experiences we have.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_00: And that's why I think it's worth becoming much more intentional about our emotional state.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_00: Now, does that mean you have to be happy every second of every day?
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_00: Of course not.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_00: We're human beings.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_00: We have difficult days, we get frustrated, we get disappointed, things happen that we wish hadn't happened.
• 19:57
  SPEAKER_00: But here's my question.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_00: What emotional state are you spending most of your time in?
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_00: And is that the state you want to be in?
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_00: Because maybe you can't control everything that happens around you, but you can begin practicing ways of responding that help you move toward the kind of person you want to become.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_00: And that brings me to one of my favorite parts of this entire guide.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_00: Gratitude.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I could talk about gratitude all day long because I think it's one of the simplest and most powerful practices we can develop.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_00: But let me ask you something.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_00: How often do you find yourself thinking about what you don't have?
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you want a bigger house, maybe you want a nicer car, maybe you want more money, maybe you want a different job or a better relationship.
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_00: And listen, there's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting more.
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_00: But here's what I want you to think about.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_00: How often do you stop and appreciate what you already have?
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_00: I mean really appreciate it.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_00: Think about what happened when you woke up this morning.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you got out of a comfortable bed, maybe you took a warm shower, maybe you had something to eat, maybe you had a conversation with somebody you love.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_00: Now, those things might seem pretty ordinary, right?
• 21:23
  SPEAKER_00: But are they really?
• 21:26
  SPEAKER_00: Think about how many people in the world would love to have some of the things we barely even notice.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_00: And here's what I find so fascinating about gratitude.
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_00: You can be sitting in exactly the same room with exactly the same circumstances and begin feeling completely different simply by changing what you're paying attention to.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_00: Nothing outside of you has necessarily changed.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_00: But your experience of that moment can change.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_00: And isn't that wonderful?
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_00: Now, Jack shares an exercise in the guide that I absolutely love.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_00: He calls it a rampage of appreciation.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_00: And I want to explain it to you because it's something you could begin doing today.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_00: The idea is simple.
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_00: You deliberately begin looking around and noticing things you appreciate.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_00: And I mean everything.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_00: Jack gives the example of appreciating a carpet.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I know that might sound funny.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_00: When was the last time you walked into a room and thought, Boy, am I grateful for this carpet?
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_00: Probably never, right?
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_00: But think about everything that went into having that carpet there.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_00: Somebody had to design it, somebody had to manufacture it, somebody had to transport it, somebody had to install it.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_00: And now it's making the room more comfortable for you.
• 22:55
  SPEAKER_00: When you begin looking at things that way, you start noticing how much there is to appreciate in your everyday life.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's a beautiful way to go through the world.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_00: Now imagine doing the same thing with the people in your life.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_00: Think about somebody you love.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's your spouse, your child, your parent, or a close friend.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_00: How easy is it to notice the little things they do that annoy you?
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe they leave something on the counter.
• 23:27
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe they forget something you asked them to do.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe they've got a habit that drives you absolutely crazy.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_00: And before you know it, you're spending a whole lot of time thinking about those things.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_00: But what if you deliberately started paying attention to everything you appreciate about that person?
• 23:46
  SPEAKER_00: Their kindness, their sense of humor, the things they do for you, the way they make you feel, the times they've been there when you needed them.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_00: Don't you think that might change the way you feel about them?
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_00: And wouldn't it probably change the way you treat them?
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_00: Now imagine what might happen to that relationship if both people began doing that.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_00: That's why I think gratitude is so much more than simply saying thank you.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_00: It's about developing the habit of noticing what's good in your life.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_00: And Jack encourages us to make that a daily practice.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_00: He suggests spending a few minutes every day thinking about the things we're grateful for and even writing them down.
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_00: Now, here's something I'd love for you to try.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_00: Tomorrow morning, before you start thinking about everything you need to do, spend five minutes thinking about what you appreciate.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's your family, maybe it's your health, maybe it's a friend who always makes you laugh.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's an opportunity you've been given.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's something as simple as a beautiful morning.
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_00: Whatever it is, really think about it.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_00: And don't just rush through a list.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_00: Allow yourself to actually feel grateful.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_00: Because I think that's where the experience becomes so meaningful.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_00: Now, there's another practice Jack talks about that I want to share with you, and that's affirmations.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_00: If you've listened to our episode on auto suggestion from Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich, you're going to recognize some similarities here.
• 25:28
  SPEAKER_00: Jack encourages us to deliberately use statements that reflect the life we want to create.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_00: And I think there's something really important about how we do that.
• 25:39
  SPEAKER_00: Because it's one thing to repeat a sentence, and it's another thing to become emotionally involved with what that sentence means.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_00: Let's say you want to become more confident.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_00: You could repeat the words, I'm confident, I'm confident, I'm confident.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, great.
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_00: But what does confidence actually look like in your life?
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_00: Does it mean walking into a room and comfortably introducing yourself to somebody?
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_00: Does it mean having a difficult conversation you've been putting off?
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_00: Does it mean standing in front of a group of people and sharing something important?
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_00: Well, imagine yourself doing that.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine how you'd feel.
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine how you'd carry yourself.
• 26:26
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine what you'd say.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_00: And then ask yourself, what's one thing I could do today that would help me become that person?
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_00: Because that's where I think this becomes especially powerful.
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_00: You're not just repeating words, you're beginning to develop a picture of who you want to become, and you're connecting that picture to the actions you can take.
• 26:51
  SPEAKER_00: Now, let me give you another example.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine two people who are trying to grow their businesses.
• 26:58
  SPEAKER_00: They both make 10 phone calls and nobody agrees to meet with them.
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_00: The first person says, See, I told you nobody wants what I'm offering.
• 27:09
  SPEAKER_00: This is never going to work.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_00: The second person says, Okay, that didn't go the way I wanted.
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_00: What can I learn from those conversations?
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe I need to change my approach.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe I need to talk to different people.
• 27:24
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe I need to get better at explaining how I can help.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_00: Now let me ask you something.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_00: Which person do you think is more likely to make another 10 calls?
• 27:36
  SPEAKER_00: Probably the second person, right?
• 27:38
  SPEAKER_00: And here's what's interesting.
• 27:40
  SPEAKER_00: They both had exactly the same experience.
• 27:45
  SPEAKER_00: The difference is how they interpreted it.
• 27:48
  SPEAKER_00: One person used the experience as evidence that they couldn't succeed.
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_00: The other person used it as an opportunity to learn and improve.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_00: And what do you think happens over time when somebody continues learning, improving, and taking action?
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_00: They give themselves more opportunities to succeed.
• 28:10
  SPEAKER_00: Now that's something worth getting excited about because it means that the way you think about an experience can influence what you do next.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_00: And what you do next can make a real difference in your results.
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_00: So let's bring all of this together because I don't want you to just understand these ideas.
• 28:30
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to begin using them.
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_00: Jack gives us three steps.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_00: Ask, believe, and receive.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_00: And here's how I'd love for you to start thinking about them.
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_00: First, decide what you really want.
• 28:46
  SPEAKER_00: Not what you don't want.
• 28:48
  SPEAKER_00: Not what somebody else thinks you should want.
• 28:51
  SPEAKER_00: What do you want?
• 28:53
  SPEAKER_00: And take some time with that question.
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's something related to your business, your health, your relationships, or your finances.
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's simply wanting to feel more peaceful and enjoy your life more.
• 29:08
  SPEAKER_00: Whatever it is, get clear about it.
• 29:11
  SPEAKER_00: Then ask yourself why it's important.
• 29:15
  SPEAKER_00: Because when you know why something matters to you, it becomes much easier to get excited about it.
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_00: Next, pay attention to what you're believing about that goal.
• 29:27
  SPEAKER_00: Are you telling yourself it's possible?
• 29:29
  SPEAKER_00: Or are you constantly reminding yourself of all the reasons it probably won't happen?
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_00: And if you discover that you've got some limiting beliefs, that's okay.
• 29:40
  SPEAKER_00: Don't beat yourself up about it.
• 29:43
  SPEAKER_00: Just recognize them.
• 29:45
  SPEAKER_00: And begin asking yourself what you'd need to believe about yourself to move forward.
• 29:51
  SPEAKER_00: Then do something.
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_00: Take an action.
• 29:55
  SPEAKER_00: Make the phone call.
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_00: Start the conversation, learn the skill, take the first step.
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_00: And while you're doing all of that, don't forget to appreciate the wonderful things that are already part of your life.
• 30:09
  SPEAKER_00: Because here's something I really want you to remember.
• 30:13
  SPEAKER_00: There's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting more.
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_00: But don't become so focused on what you want tomorrow that you forget to appreciate what you have today.
• 30:25
  SPEAKER_00: Now, before we finish, I want to ask you one final question.
• 30:30
  SPEAKER_00: If somebody followed you around for the next seven days and wrote down everything you talked about, everything you complained about, everything you worried about, and everything you got excited about, what would that tell them about where your attention is going?
• 30:45
  SPEAKER_00: Would they conclude that you're spending most of your time focused on the life you want?
• 30:51
  SPEAKER_00: Or would they discover that you're spending most of your time focused on the things you're trying to get away from?
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_00: That's something worth thinking about, isn't it?
• 31:01
  SPEAKER_00: And here's an even better question.
• 31:03
  SPEAKER_00: What if you decided to change that starting tomorrow morning?
• 31:08
  SPEAKER_00: What if, before you reached for your phone or started thinking about everything you had to do, you spent just five minutes thinking about what you want, what you're grateful for, and one meaningful thing you could do that day.
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_00: Five minutes.
• 31:24
  SPEAKER_00: That's all I'm asking you to begin with.
• 31:28
  SPEAKER_00: Because sometimes the biggest changes in our lives begin with something incredibly simple.
• 31:34
  SPEAKER_00: A different thought, a different expectation, a different decision, and one small action.
• 31:43
  SPEAKER_00: So here's what I want you to remember from today's conversation.
• 31:48
  SPEAKER_00: Be clear about what you want.
• 31:50
  SPEAKER_00: Develop the belief that you can move toward it.
• 31:53
  SPEAKER_00: Take action when opportunities appear.
• 31:56
  SPEAKER_00: And don't forget to appreciate the wonderful things that are already part of your life.
• 32:01
  SPEAKER_00: And I'll leave you with one final thought.
• 32:04
  SPEAKER_00: What if the greatest change you need to make isn't somewhere outside of you?
• 32:10
  SPEAKER_00: What if it begins with what you choose to give your attention to, starting right now?
• 32:16
  SPEAKER_00: That's a pretty exciting possibility, isn't it?