“Would you like to get better at what you’re doing? Any skill, whether it’s piano playing, cooking, a sport, talking with others, attracting a mate, negotiating a career, managing your own mind and controlling your thoughts. You can. It isn’t that difficult really.
How would you like to get better at taking charge of your feelings and making your dreams come true? Would you like that? When you know how to do it there may be many things you would like to improve. Imagine all your dreams coming true. Nice, huh. Okay.
Here is how you improve any skill. Imagine a juggler. Imagine this person is learning to juggle and keep a number of objects in the air. Imagine that this juggler every time an object drops and isn’t caught or juggled but hits the floor, THIS juggler slaps his or her face HARD!
Repetition Is The Mother Of Skill – Skills You Develop
Whenever this juggle makes a mistake, large or small, this juggler insults or criticize himself and makes himself feel horribly bad. The juggler thinks to himself, out loud or silently, ‘I suck! I’ll never make it. I can’t do this. I’m a loser. I’m horrible! This sucks. Crap’
She thinks, ‘I screwed up again. I’ll never learn. What a klutz. This is hard. Shit! F’n balls are too slippery. It’s too cold in here. I can’t juggle when it’s cold. Too many distractions I cant concentrate. I give up.” Do you think this person would be a good juggler anytime soon?
Most likely not. Yet that is what many people do when it comes to taking charge of their own lives, controlling their finances, meeting the person of their dreams, losing weight, feeling confident, doing anything or making any change. They criticize themselves.
Mastering Yourself Is True Power – Know Thyself
They’re hard on themselves. They abuse themselves. They punish themselves. They shame themselves. Then wonder why they don’t make any changes. You can’t punish you yourself and expect to gain skills and talents and abilities and positive attitudes and well-being.
You are going to feel bad, negative and awful. Feeling awful isn’t going to make you better anytime soon. What do YOU do when YOU make a mistake? What could you do instead that would help you learn and improve and move you forward with the skills?
Accept the mistake! Allow it. Forgive yourself and move on gently. You redo it, again. If you screw up again you, again, gently move on. Don’t punish yourself. Instead encourage yourself. Think, ‘better luck next time’. Enjoy practice. Keep the faith. Expect the best!
If You Develop Just One Skill Make It The Ability To Focus
Think, ‘that’s alright. Good for you! That’s the spirit. Keep the at it! Good job! You’re moving forward.’ You encourage. You don’t have to go overboard with the praise but you pat yourself on the back for whatever you did. Accept whatever you did without criticism.
Don’t expect to be perfect right out of the gate. You won’t be. Understand there is a learning curve and accept that you’re not perfect. Accept that you’re not God. Accept that you don’t know how to do it, yet, but that you will improve in time.
With time and patience; with correct repetition and encouragement you’ll get better and better. You could be a world-class champion if you give yourself permission to go that far and become one. AND if you aren’t too hard on yourself and allow yourself to get good.
Simple Consistent Good Habits Lead To A Life Of Blissful Blessings
Even those who are the best at things have bad days. You can bet they didn’t get to be the best by wallowing in pity and shame, hate, anger and frustration. They worked hard, it’s true. They had to develop their mindset and their feelings.
They had to make sure their feelings were in check. They had to take the appropriate actions. They did all that and you can too! It is far better to pat yourself on the back for something attempted and not perfect then shame and blame yourself for trying.
Books are made better in the second edition. That’s why there ARE second editions. You have second chance. You have opportunities to repeat. You get to do over your practice to get better. Repetition is what builds habits.
You Can Develop Any Habit You Deem Desirable Or Necessary
Correct repetition over the appropriate amount of time is what builds positive skill. Attitude also helps build skill. You can’t be negative and expect positive results. You must get your mind working for you instead of against you. Manage your mind!
The right mindset says ‘I can do this. I am learning. I’m a beginner. I can get better through practice. I enjoy this. I love this! This is fun! I’m so glad I do this.’ The right mindset nurtures oneself and one’s abilities. You correct and continue. You move forward positively.
Allow yourself permission to fail because all success is built on failure. Don’t fear failing. Don’t try not to make mistakes. Accept them! That IS how you learn and grow. You adjust. You make corrections. You repeat. In doing so you build positive habits.
Excellence Is Not An Exception It Is A Prevailing Attitude
All masters were once disasters. All top pros were once rank amateurs. Everyone starts from the same place. Zero, zip! We begin, we practice, We improve. Mastery is a process not a one time event. Don’t let a bad attitude prevent you from being your best. Excel!
You can develop any skill, any talent, any ability. You can manage your thoughts and your emotions. You can take control of your mind. You can make your dreams come true if you will only allow yourself to do so. Give yourself permission to fail. It is okay, it truly is!
Take the sting out of failure by stopping trying to not fail. If you are focused on, ‘not failing’ guess what you are more likely to do. Don’t avoid it. Accept it, embrace it and move beyond it. You’ll go further faster when you do. Let go of having to be perfect.
We Are What We Repeatedly Do – Positive Or Negative
Give yourself permission to succeed. Love yourself through it all. Be patient. Be thankful you can do anything at all! Be thankful you have the opportunity to screw up. Not everyone does. Not everyone can do what you are learning to do. Be glad you are able to!
Everyone who succeeds was once a novice. Be thankful you can as well as you can. Be grateful in all things. The right attitude is like grease to the wheel. It accelerates everything. You can get better the more you relax yourself and let it happen. Yes, commit to practice but make it positive practice. That’s why I tell you always celebrate everything.” Rex Sikes
Discover today and bask in it!
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Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.
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