The Power of Possibility Thinking

It’s a beautiful Sunday Afternoon in Florida, the sun is shining brightly and I’m staring out the window taking in the picturesque trees spread throughout the quiet suburban like street I live on. This is how I like to describe where I live. Others could say something else.

It’s a hot day in Florida again, there’s barely any breeze and the trees don’t provide enough shade to do any good. The sun is like a furnace sent to squeeze every drop of sweat from your body. Too many cars drive down the street, the houses are stacked on top of each other, and the builders continue to add more houses to an already full neighborhood.

That was an example of how our attitudes affect our outlooks. This, as we know, will eventually affect our outcome. I’ve been listening this past week to a tape series by Dr. Robert Schuller called “The Power of Possibility Thinking.” I’m about half way done now and it’s been a rewarding experience. The main point of the series is about letting the impossible inspire you not scare you, and looking for problems to fix, because in the end they’re only opporunities.
For those of you who don’t know, Dr. Schuller is the man who founded the Crystal Cathedral, a beautiful church in Garden Grove, California. He began the church with no members and only 400 dollars in his pocket. Today the church property is worth millions and over 10,000 people attend. The difference between him and anybody else is only that he looked at his problem and saw a need to be filled. He knew that if he could meet the need, people would come to his church. So, he built a drive in church that eventually grew into one of the largest churches in the country.

I believe that positive thinking is paramount to success, and I have a little quote I always say to myself when I find I’m not thinking with the right mind.

• As I think, so I’ll be.

Very short, but to the point. I guarantee if you say that to yourself whenever you face a problem, or an obstacle, or you don’t get that promotion at work, or whatever may happen, you’ll smile just a little bit and reframe your focus.

That’s the point really, reframing your focus. Dr. Schuller had a really good line that I am adding to my daily quotes. Daily quotes are lines I feed to myself each day so I’ll remember them and practice them. His quote is as follows:

• I’d rather shoot for the impossible and fail then aim for nothing and succeed.

So, if you’re out there reading this, the first thing you need to do is DREAM BIG! You can only go as far as you imagine you can. If you want to make more money this year, how much more do you want to make? 5,000? 50,000? Maybe even 500,000? The point is that it doesn’t take any more energy to want 5,000 as it does to want 500,000. The only difference is a few zeroes. The real work comes in working the plan. But you can’t build a house without blue prints, you can’t write a book without some idea of a plot line, and you can’t build a successful business without a business plan. Same goes for your life. Until you have a plan for your life you’ll never know when you’re doing good. How do you know you’re succeeding if you haven’t defined what success is for you?

It’s like playing football with no end zones, field goals, or boundary lines; a lot of hard work but no way to know who wins. So start today by listing goals you want in different areas of you life. I usually break my goals up into categories. Physical, Emotional, Spiritual, Financial, Relational, etc. Once you have an idea of what you want, (remember, think big!) create at least 10 ways to make that goal a reality. It made be hard to think of 10 at first, but give it time. You’ll be amazed at the power of the subconscious mind when it has a task to do. Here’s an example of mine for my weight loss goal. I set out to lose 240 pounds.

• I will lose 240 pounds within 2 years!

1. I will go on a low carb lifestyle that I can enjoy and live by.
2. I will obtain a personal trainer at the gym.
3. I will model after others who have done what I want to do.
4. I will walk some each day.
5. I will not give up, no matter what.
6. I will share my story with others as I progress, to keep me inspired.
7. I will not eat too late each night. (I’m working on this one still…update- doing good)
8. I will always eat breakfast each morning.
9. I will not cheat “just a little”. I will not cheat at all!
10. I will always remain positive and will reach my goal

That’s just one of my goals, but I hope it helps get the idea across. So, now you’re at a good place to begin. Write down some goals and create an action plan. Soon, I’ll talk more about taking action and following through. Be sure to check back!