“The life each of us lives is the life within the limits of our own thinking. To have life more abundant, we must think in limitless terms of abundance.” – Thomas Dreier
In 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class, Steve Siebold makes an important assertion about successful people (whom he calls world class), “Their philosophy seems to be, ‘If you’re going to be thinking, you may as well think big.’ Their love- and abundance-based consciousness is the engine that drives their big thoughts and creative ideas.”
In contrast, Siebold states that “average performers think about how to survive with the least amount of pain and struggle,” instead of planning a brilliant future by thinking big.
The author suggests asking the people around you what they think about at any given time. He says, “You might be surprised to learn how many think about just getting by. The world class refers to this as ‘selling yourself short.’”
Siebold highlights the differences in mindset: “One group views the world as a scary place, and the other sees it as an exciting adventure with endless possibilities. [Most people] see life as a threat; the great ones see it as a game.”
In sum, Siebold says, the difference in mindset and worldview is so dramatically different between these two groups, that when you talk to them “it’s as though you’re speaking to people from different planets.”
“The great ones are fearless and focused on manifesting their ultimate dreams… [and their] abundance-based consciousness drives them to think and dream bigger with each passing success.”
ACTION
TODAY: This action comes directly from the book: “Review your vision for your life and think about your greatest dreams. Are you selling yourself short? Are you thinking too small? Are you letting fear hold you back from the abundance of life? Do you really have what it takes to hit it big? (Hint: yes!) Rewrite your vision today and go bigger than ever. Trust in your ability to find a way to make your dream come true. You can do it!”
FUTURE: Two great books to expand your mind to keep thinking big and see opportunity and possibility everywhere are: (1)The Magic of Thinking Big, by David J. Schwartz. Here are some posts I’ve written about it. This book was written in 1959, but the advice is as valid now as it was back then. (2)The Art of Possibility by Rosamund and Benjamin Zander. This book is one of my absolute favorites and I can’t recommend it enough. Here are the posts I’ve written about it. If you like audio books, you’ll love listening to it: the music is beautiful, as Ben Zander is the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra.
Please share this post with the great ones around you, and ask them to share their worldview, it’s always wonderful to learn how they see the world! Email, Facebook or Twitter.
Steve Siebold, mental toughness guru, asked himself twenty years ago why some people were more successful and fulfilled than others. “Were they smarter? More educated? More talented?” He wondered… But, “the answer is no,” he says.
In his book 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class, Siebold mentions that he has indeed come across a genius or two over the years. But the answer to his questions is much simpler in 99% of the cases: Great people “become great because they are more mentally tough. Through time and effort, they have learned to take control of their thoughts, feelings and attitudes in the game of life and, in turn, life has rewarded them handsomely.”
Much to my delight, the author then goes on to say, “You can do the same thing if you’ll commit yourself to never ending personal growth and development.” (Hint: I know of a blog that will help you with that… 😉 ) “Champions invest time in getting better. School is never out for the great ones.”
Further, I laughed when Siebold asked, “Have you ever been to the bookstore and wondered who reads all those business and self-improvement books?” I think I know someone… Now, seriously, he continues, “The people who need it most wouldn’t even consider it, and the people who need it least wouldn’t consider missing it. A never-ending cycle of self-education is the centerpiece of world-class consciousness. All it takes to get started is the decision to do it.”
And I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes:
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss. From I Can Read with My Eyes Shut!
ACTION
TODAY: Siebold suggests asking yourself a few critical thinking questions: “Am I really committed to going pro? Am I willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill my vision?” Then make the decision, today, to never stop growing and always keep learning.
FUTURE: Once you’ve made the decision, remember that success leaves clues. Who has done what you want to do? How can you learn from this person? Never stop learning in your area of interest. Remember what Earl Nightingale said: “If a person will spend one hour a day on the same subject for five years, that person will be an expert on that subject.”
Know someone who is a lifelong learner? Please share this with them via email, Facebook or Twitter, thanks!
“The great successful men of the world have used their imaginations… they think ahead and create their mental picture, and they go to work materializing that picture in all its details, filling in here, adding a little there, altering this a bit and that a bit, but steadily building — steadily building.” – Robert Collier
“While [most people] think of imagination as child’s play, the world class relies on it as a mental preview of things to come,” says Steven Siebold, mental toughness guru, in his book 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class. This is true. In the world of sports, athletes are coached to visualize their efforts, from beginning to end of the competition, and in every possible scenario. (Here’s a 3-min video of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps where he talks about visualization at the 1:05 min mark.)
Yet imagination and visualization don’t just apply to athletes, it can apply to all of us, and we should use it as the champions in any industry do. Siebold continues, “Before champions make a move, they have lived out the scenario through imagination. The great ones know imagination is the first step in the design of the perfect house or the perfect life.”
Imagination is a natural, never-ending gift from which we can draw anytime. Siebold mentions that “champions often go on sabbaticals or places of great natural beauty for the sole purpose of heightening their sense of imagination when pursuing the solution to a problem.” That’s why Einstein rightly said that we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
The author points out that champions combine imagination with their penchant for action, and the results are remarkable and awe-inspiring. “While [most people] scold their children for daydreaming and letting their imaginations run, the great ones are impacting the world with the manifestation of their visions.”
Happy imagining!
ACTION
TODAY: Siebold suggests writing a one-page essay where you answer this question: “If you could be, have and do anything you wanted, what would that look like?” Forget about limits and write as if anything were possible.
FUTURE: Siebold encourages us to take this a step further: “Commit to investing three minutes each day reviewing the essay you wrote. Allow your imagination to run wild with ideas of your perfect life…Forget about the how-to part of the equation during this exercise, and suspend any disbelief you may have. This three-minute, daily habit has the power to transform your life forever.”
Know someone who would love this idea? Please share this post with that person: Email, Facebook, Twitter. Thank you!
TODAY’S IDEA: The Great Ones Think Big