If you could change one thing in your life today, what would it be? Why don't you have some of the things you'd like to have, and why do you have some? What's the reason for the inconsistency?

Do you find yourself wondering what people think of you? Has that line of thinking ever made you doubt your abilities and your potential?

Do you ever catch yourself thinking 'I can't do that, I'm not good enough' or 'that level of success and prosperity is for them, not for poor old me', or other similar thoughts?

One thing you must realize is that your success in any venture starts with your thoughts about it. If you think you can succeed (in losing weight, stopping smoking, securing a high-income- paying job, finding your ideal partner, etc, etc), you're already on your way to getting what you want.

Someone once said (I forget who)'if you think you can or if you think you can't, you're probably right'. It's up to you to make things happen in your life.

The way your mind works, it accepts whatever you feed it as reality. So if you feed it with thoughts of success (eg 'I CAN lose weight healthily', 'I CAN stop smoking', 'I CAN find a high- income paying job, etc, etc), it will work to make it happen.'

You'll become alert to opportunities (and they are all around you if you'd only open your eyes and look) to move you towards your desired results.

Conversely, if you feed your mind with negative thoughts such as the ones above, your mind doesn't bother to find solutions to your problems. It closes up. You wouldn't recognize an opportunity to help you out if it slapped you in the face.

You know, it takes the same amount of effort to think positive thoughts as it takes to think negative thoughts. If positive thoughts help move you towards your goals while negative ones move you further away from them, it makes sense to dwell on the positive.

~*~SIDEBAR~*~

Positive thinking is but a step in the journey called 'success'. You need to back your thoughts with ACTION. You can think positive thoughts until your brain gets the cramps but if all you do is think and not act, you'd be wasting your time.

The good thing about positive thinking is that it puts you in the right frame of mind to take appropriate action.

~*~END of SIDEBAR~*~

Mark Twain (and later Napoleon Hill) said that 'What the human mind can conceive and believe, the human mind can achieve'.

The problem comes up after conceiving a potentially great idea. The little voice inside you starts saying things like 'that's a crazy idea' or 'nobody's ever done that before -who do you think you are?' . Your friends and family make fun of your idea. You begin to get discouraged and to think 'maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all'.

What should you do when this happens? Take control of your thoughts, that's what. Your mind has conceived it, remember, so your mind CAN achieve it. You just need to line up your thoughts and actions with what you want to do.

Tell all those naysayers (internal and external) that you will succeed in reaching your goal.

The next line of thinking after 'I CAN' is 'I WILL'.

Feed yourself with thoughts like that about yourself (and act accordingly) and you'll see your confidence, awareness and productivity soar. You'll find yourself attracting those things you want into your life.

Who says you can't make it? Tell them you CAN and you WILL. Then go out there and make it happen.