“If you always do what you have always done you will always get what you always got. That means if you struggle, if you fail, if you can’t get ahead you will continue to struggle, fail and be held back until you change what you are doing that prevents you!

In the 1980’s I taught meditation and personal development programs including Neuro Linguistic Programming and related disciplines. I enjoyed sharing state of the art, up to date, cutting edge thinking and research of that time. I still do all of it and enjoy it.

The available information based on research, then, indicated that humans operated at least at 95% on automatic. Subconscious habitual programs run the show. The thinking then was this might even be a low estimation. Since then this has been corroborated.

We’ve Been Programmed In Small Bits Repeated Day In Day Out

Today, researchers believe the same based on research over those years. I believe the estimation goes back further, to even ancient times, and that the language changes to describe the same ‘news’. Ancients meant the same thing using different words to describe.

We are creatures of habit. We learned beliefs, attitudes and behaviors from before we could speak, walk, read and write. Early on, we were conditioned in various ways to learn our family, our cultural values, ideologies, religions, and all the rest that we have.

We have been conditioned and live out that conditioning. We repeat endlessly throughout our lives thoughts, feelings and actions. We hardly notice unless for some reason we become aware. Unless we have an aha moment, good or not so good, we continue on and on.

Success Is The Sum Of Small Efforts Repeated Day In And Day Out

For some it occurs with a thought, ‘why do I always feel this way?’ or ‘how come I always screw up?’ or some similar variation. At some point we become illuminated to a reoccurring, less than glorious, theme and we decide to change it. Or at least attempt it.

When we do we encounter the habitual machinery’s awesome power. 95% of us, that force, maintains the ‘show’. Our tiny 5% conscious decision to change has to contend with 95% conditioned, well entrenched, well traveled neural pathways of habit.

Many who decide to change, give up. They give in. They exclaim, ‘I tried that and it didn’t work!’ Face it, if you have ever tried to give up smoking, drinking or eating, or certain habits such as nail biting, or pulling your hair out, worry and anxiety, it can be difficult. At first.

The Difference Between Who You Are And Who You Want To Be …

The problem with many people is they don’t make it past the first tough times. People will tell you that you can’t change. Obviously, that isn’t true or no one would ever change. People do change. Some will tell you that you need help. That may be true in certain ways.

A mentor or coach is a great idea. Support for changing with other positive people who encourage you, yes. People who have done what you want to can be most beneficial to learn from. Help as long as it is actually helpful is a good idea. Help in name only isn’t.

It is important to realize that your feelings can help you but often don’t. It all begins with thought. Whatever your first thoughts are produce your feelings. Those feelings in turn produce your subsequent thoughts. Might I add, this too is habitual.

… Is What You Think Feel Do And Make A Habit

We tend to think, feel and do what we have always thought, felt and done. Over and over and over again. Some people decide, ‘I will do it! Habitually, they add from their programming, ‘but it won’t be easy. It is hard. I may not succeed. The odds are against it.’ or some variation.

Then they feel less than able, they feel like they can’t, that it will be impossible. They are too tired or too weak. Their emotions are  not supercharged and motivated, they feel unable and unmotivated. Their next thoughts are ‘I can’t, too hard. this sucks, oh well!’

‘I tried and it doesn’t work!’ Their thoughts and feelings, because of their habitual conditioning, didn’t serve them. At this point you might wonder is there any hope then? YES! There is! Hang in there. There is much you can do. More than I can share in this one post.

Good Habits Are The Key To Your Success – Develop Good Habits

I have been sharing all along and will continue in the next posts too. You must choose to change. You must make the decision! You must commit to making it happen. If you always do what you always did you will always remain the same. Nothing will change.

You must decide you really want to and that you will no matter what. Yes, that is 5% conscious mind exclaiming, ‘I am going to do it’.  Have you ever heard the children’s tale ‘The Little Engine That Could’. ‘I think I can I think I can’. Well, thinking works and is the beginning.

Some say positive thinking won’t work and isn’t enough. They are completely wrong and somewhat correct. It begins with positive thinking. BUT we never think without accompanying emotions that support and reinforce what we are thinking.

What You Think Is What You Get – Results Begin With Thought

When we think negative thoughts we feel bad emotionally and our body changes. Even our brain structure detrimentally changes if our negative thinking lasts long enough. When we think positive we feel good and our body and health and brain can improve.

We must think positive thoughts and have the positive feelings. So work on having both. Think the thoughts and feel the feelings. Do the things that make us feel positive so we can more readily think positive. It is cyclic. Think and feel, feel and think. We do both.

If you know you want to change and must change that is the starting place. You can and will do it if you want it enough and dedicate yourself to making it happen. You must be willing to see it through to the end. Even if you are unsure at first, you can do it. It does work.

Success Is Not A One Time Thing – It Is A Way Of Life

Begin today! Fill your mind with great thoughts. Need help? Read this blog, read Napoleon Hill, Norman Vincent Peale, Jim Rohn, Zig Ziglar, and others. Devote a portion of your morning to reading positive material from the masters of thought. It works.

Pick one or two positive, powerful, simply worded, affirmations and chant them over and over as if you were cheering on your favorite team. Get enthused when you do it. Be awesome and powerful. Exaggerate it! Shout it! Do it! I’ll share more in the next post.

I haven’t decided if I will put ‘Part 2’ in the title or not. It may just be a different title but keep reading. Please share if you know others who can benefit from this message and these posts. Meanwhile, do something positive for yourself. Spend time devoted to you and those you love. Delight and Enjoy! Celebrate everything!” Rex Sikes

Have fun today. Delight in it!

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Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

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