Successes Principles MOJO - June 15, 2009

As you know I enjoy forwarding each Monday an inspirational message thoughtfully prepared by respected individuals. Today a friend shared a book with me and in starting to read the beginning chapters I thought it would be perfect to share with you. Some would suggest that the Universe drops in our lap messages, challenges, advice, experiences and intersections with people for reasons often for purposes not yet clear; however in this instance I am very aware of the meaning of the following in my life.

So if I asked 100 people this question, most if not all would answer in the affirmative, 'do you want to create the life of your dreams?' But then the obvious questions or rationalizations would ensue, such as how does one do that, or I’m not sure what I want, or I’m afraid or what if I fail, or I don’t want to repeat the mistakes of the past, etc.

Jack Canfield in his book "The Success Principles, How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want To Be" offers sage advice that I would like to share with you. In his book, Mr. Canfield states:

"We Must Give Up All Excuses"

Ninety-nine percent of all failures come from people who have a habit of making excuses.

“To create the life of your dreams, you have to take 100% responsibility for your life. You have to take the position that you have always had the power to make it different, to get it right, to produce the desired result. For whatever reason - ignorance, lack of awareness, fear, needing to be right, the need to feel safe - you chose not to exercise that power. Who knows why? IT DOESN'T MATTER. THE PAST IS THE PAST. All that matters now is that from this point forward you choose - that's right, it's a choice - you choose to act as if (that's all that's required - to act as if) you are 100% responsible for everything that does or doesn't happen to you.

Canfield offers a simple formula to explain the underlying premise of taking responsibility (perfect for those of you who are the ‘analytical’ archetype):

E + R = O
(Event + Response = Outcome)

“Basically every outcome we experience in life is the result of how we respond to an earlier event or events in our life. We have two basic choices:

1. Blame the event (E) for our lack of results (O). We blame all the external forces for the result – the economy, racism, gender bias, lack of support, the system, the weather, other people, etc., etc., .... However, lots of people overcome these so-called limiting factors, so it can’t be the limiting factors that limit us. It is not the external conditions and circumstances that stop us – it is us. We think limiting thoughts and engage in self-defeating behaviors. We waste time on the trivial, eat unhealthy food, fail to exercise, spend more money that we make, avoid necessary conflict, fail to tell the truth, don’t ask for what we want – and then wonder why our lives don’t work.

2. You can instead simply change your responses (R) to the events (E) - the way things are – until you get the outcomes (O) you want. You can change your thinking, change your communication, change the pictures you hold in your head (your images of yourself and the world) - and you can change your behavior – the things you do. That is all you really have any control over anyway. Unfortunately, most of us are so run by our habits that we never change our behavior. We get stuck in our conditioned responses.... Everything we think, say, and do needs to become intentional and aligned with our purpose, our values and our goals.

IF YOU DON’T LIKE YOUR OUTCOMES CHANGE YOU RESPONSES.”

I hope you make it a great week!!! And as always, let me know if I can be of service to you or a family member, friend or peer.