Caught In A Trap?

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Wednesday September 9, 2009

Good day all and welcome to the midweek point. In some circles it's known as "Hump Day". You work out the details on your own. ;-)

The week is gaining momentum and I certainly feel that the announcement I'll be bringing you in the next couple of days will certainly touch some chords with delight.

Today though, we go to our very good friend friend from Australia as she helps us decide if we really are...

Caught In A Trap?
by Thea Westra

There are 86,400 seconds in each day. It takes less than one of those to make a decision. Each decision we make can take life in a wholly different direction.

Having lived more than 1,475,776,800 seconds myself, it is astounding to consider the myriad of turns that life could have taken with each new thought that I had at each moment.

Every action and consequential events are all based on singular thoughts that you have had or that another person had in relationship to you. So now, who thinks that they are caught in a trap and have limited options? You've likely heard it often...change your thoughts and you change your life. Think about this... (pardon the pun) and you'll know it to be the absolute truth about every aspect of your past.

Initially, you may hear this as bad news. Especially when you're now 100% responsible for every thing that is showing up in your life. Yet consider the notion more closely and in fact it's probably the most empowering idea that you could accept as a fact, if you're wanting some choice in the matter of where your experience of life takes you next.

You see the good news is that we have it within our power to change the thoughts and beliefs that flow through each day. It's all a matter of habits and shifting what's usual, comfortable and familiar to us. You've heard the saying, "To have different you need to do different." Our doing is sourced in our thinking so be careful where you take those thoughts and be aware of what you accept as ultimate truths. The Earth may not be as flat as you believe!

I believe that I have shared the following with you before, however you may see something else it it for yourself if I expose it to you for re-reading:

"Rightness: Long ago, a brilliant psychologist proved that if you present a rat with 3 tunnels, only one of which has some cheese in it, the rat would explore all the avenues until he finds the cheese. And, after reinforcement, he will ignore all non-cheese tunnels, and go down only the one with the payoff. Then, if you take away the cheese, he will soon learn that it’s gone, and will begin to explore all tunnels again, looking for the reward. Human beings, in stark contrast, will go up a tunnel looking for whatever 'cheese' the situation is, never get any, but they proceed to go up that same tunnel for a lifetime. And what’s driving them is reasonableness, or rightness. That is, they get to say to themselves, quite logically: 'I saw cheese go up that tunnel. It’s got to be up there. I’ll find it, goddam it, if it takes me a lifetime.' So they get to spend a lifetime without cheese, but always being able to explain (to wives, friends, acquaintances anyone who will listen) that they’re up a very reasonable tunnel. And they find people to agree that the cheese really belongs up that tunnel. (Those people are called really close friends!)

If you’re running your life up a tunnel (or a series of them) with no 'cheese' for you; you’re beginning to get what I’m driving at: that running your life being right is pointless and I don't mean that what you’re doing is wrong; I simply mean it doesn't work, and that should be the main criterion." ~From EST: Playing The Game The New Way written by Carl Frederick in 1972~

If what you are doing is not working then get it working or get it out of there! If you are not producing the results that you are wanting to produce then it's time to explore your deeply held beliefs and to begin looking at where you are 'being right' about something, which in fact may be nowhere near right for the direction you're wanting to go.

You can change the direction in which you're heading, in a jiffy! A jiffy is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second. Determine desired intentions and decide to produce specific results. Regularly focus on your intentions. Be vigilant with your language (in mind or voiced). Track your progress and reward the forward steps. Know if an action or non-action is moving you toward or away from your intended outcome.

Thea Westra is the senior thought leader, at her Forward Steps site. She resides in Perth, Australia with her ultra-supportive partner Greg. Thea publishes a monthly ezine (among many other publications and products) at http://www.forwardsteps.com.au Enjoy her life success blogs at http://www.timeformylife.com/blogs.htm and get personally connected here, http://www.ask-thea-about.com